Annual Report(2014)

Annual Reports

 

ACRONYMS

AIDS …………….Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome
BoFED…………..Bureau of Finance and Economic Development
BoLSA…………..Bureau of Labor and Social Affairs
CBOs …………… Community Based Organizations
CDTC ……………Community Development Training Center
ChSA……………..Charities and Societies of Agency
COC……………. Center of Competence
CSOs …………… Civil Society Organizations
EY………………….Ernest and Young
ESSSWA …….. Ethiopian Society of Sociologists, Social Workers and Anthropologists
HAPCO ………… HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control Office
HIV ……………. Human Immuno Deficiency Virus
JD………………. Job Description
MDG……………… Millennium Development Goals
MoE ……………. Ministry of Education
MoH ……………. Ministry of Health
MoLSA …………Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs
MoWCYA ……… Ministry of Women, Children and Youth Affairs
OVC …………….Orphan and Vulnerable Children
OS…………….… Occupational Standard
PEPFAR …………US President’s Emergency Plan For AIDS Relief
PMP……………..Performance Monitoring and Evaluation Plan
PWD……………..Persons WithDisablities
SDPRP………….Sustainable Development and Poverty Reduction Program
SNNP……………South Nation Nationalities and People
SPSSSSE……….Strengthening Public Sector Social Services System in Ethiopia
TVET ……………Technical and Vocational Education Training
USAID ………….United States Agency for International Development
ECOMP………….Enhancing Competences of Professionals to Prevent Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation
FDRE…………… Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia
OCACA………… Occupational competence, Assessment and Certification Agency
IFSW…………… International Federation of Social Workers.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

ESSSWA expresses its deepest appreciation for USAID and the American People’s generous contribution in funding ESSSWA’s project on “Strengthening Public Sector Social Service System in Ethiopia (SPSSSSE)”. The funding will allow 4000 Social Service Workers to attend community level social work training with all costs covered. In relation to this,ESSSWA would like to extend its profound gratitude to Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs (MoLSA) and Regional BoLSA particularly to the Social Affairs Directorate for their unreserved support to make the implementation of SPSSSSE Project real. Similarly, Oak Foundation, the long standing partner and donor of ESSSWA,is acknowledged for its priceless contributions in providing financial support for child focused research, training, professional competence building, and experience sharing and learning.

ESSWA’s Secretariat Office appreciates partner universities for the timeliness of their research products and their valuable contributions in cultivating professionals in the disciplines of Sociology, Social Work and Anthropology. Similar credit goes to TVET agency and partner TVETs for their commitment and contribution in building the country’s Social Workforce.

Last, but not least, is ESSSWA’s Board of Directors without whose strategic guidance and leadership the recorded achievements in the budget year could not have been made possible.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The Ethiopian Society of Sociologists, Social Workers and Anthropologists (ESSSWA), guided by its five year strategic plan, has advanced its professional excellence to change the quality of people’s lives. Supported by two projects financed by USAID and Oak Foundation, remarkable achievements have been recorded. ESSSWA is currently implementing a three-year USAID-funded project titled: “Strengthening Public Sector Social Service Systems in Ethiopia” (SPSSSSE). The ultimate purpose of the project aims at improving the social services system in Ethiopia with primary focus on strengthening social service delivery system and workforce development in the country. The project is working with MoLSA, regional BoLSAs and TVET agencies to train and build the skills of 4,000 Para-professionals and community level social workforce in Amhara, SNNNP, Oromia, Tigray regions and Dire Dawa and Addis Ababa city administrations. The result is that 490 trainees graduated and deployed and over 1000 were under training in the reporting period.

The Oak Foundation supported project on: “Enhancing Competences of Professionals and Institutions to Prevent Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation (ECOMP)” has also contributed greatly in building ESSSWA’s centre of excellence in activities related to child sexual abuse and exploitation. As a result, ESSSWAs’ seminar series, publications, research outputs and overall project implementation experiences have been instrumental to make the situation of child protection, child sexual abuse and exploitation in Ethiopia to be more recognized. The documentation and learning achievements of the projects has created better access to thousands of professionals at national and regional levels to share their knowledge, skills and experiences. By the financial support of this project, ESSSWA has been enabled to develop and implement its Strategic Plan (2012 -2016). The strategic plan has guided all its actions and helped to realize its mission by responding to emerging social issues.

In all its endeavors, ESSSWA developed and designed its intervention on three broad thematic areas, namely; research, knowledge management and learning, training and experience sharing. The anticipated impacts of the forthcoming Oak Foundation and USAID funded SPSSSSE projects is expected to improve quality of service provision vulnerable children, enhance knowledge, experience sharing, provision of responsive and relevant training to community level social welfare workforce in child protection from abuse and sexual exploitation. This will create a space to build a base to successor generations of community level social welfare service providers.

1. BACKGROUND
The Ethiopian Society of Sociologists, Social Workers and Anthropologists (ESSSWA) was founded in June 1996 and reregistered as Ethiopian Resident Charitable Society with the certificate number 0350 in November, 2009. Over the last 18 years, ESSSWA played its professional role in promoting social development in the country. Currently, the society has more than 850 active members (29% being females) and more than 10 institutional members and partners.

ESSSWA works with a vision to see sustainable and positive social change in Ethiopia and to be an active participant in the country’s transformation process. Its mission is to represent the interests of the professionals of Sociology, Social Work and Anthropology and advance the application of these disciplines for the wellbeing of the Ethiopian Society. Since its establishment, ESSSWA has organized series of national and regional workshops, annual conferences and trainings to its members and concerned stakeholders on broad issues of social development focusing on disadvantaged social groups such as vulnerable children (OVC), socio-economic consequences of HIV/AIDS, PWDs, the elderly, human trafficking, migration and settlement. Outcomes of such workshops were found extremely useful in guiding government sectors, civil society organizations and the public at large so thatitprovided opportunities for members and other stakeholders to be part of the debates in their respective areas.

ESSSWA has been engaged in policy consultation and dialogue by identifying social policy gaps of the country. It works in collaboration with government, civil society organizations, bilateral, multilateral and UN organizations. It has also collaborated with relevant partners to promote and meet the goals of such national commitments as SDPRP, MDG and food security. For many years, ESSSWA has been working with Oak Foundation on child sexual abuse and prevention with the objective of enhancing the capacity of Social Workers working with children exposed to sexual exploitation and abuse. ESSSWA had also ongoing discussions bearing fruits regarding development of a new course on children with Addis Ababa University, Department of Sociology and School of Social Work. Besides, ESSSWA works with The World Bank as a lead for the National Social Protection Platform on Social Protection and Safety Nets in Ethiopia.

1.1. Objectives of ESSSWA
ESSSWA takes the issue of social welfare and development at the heart of its research and policy agenda, which is also geared towards its project interventions. Accordingly, the strategic objectives of ESSSWA are the following:
i) Strengthen the socioeconomic contribution of Sociology, Social Work and Anthropology to the development of the Ethiopian people through theoretical and empirical research,
ii) Capacity building, knowledge management and learning in areas of sociology, social work and anthropology to enhance public benefits,
iii) Support the interests of Sociology, Social Work and Anthropology professionals and like-minded organizations in training, information and knowledge sharing; and
iv) Forge partnership and networking with national and international organizations.
These objectives are also shared by ESSSWA’s members and its regional chapters across all regions in Ethiopia.

1.2. Project Areas and Regions of Operation

Over the last 18 years of its existence, ESSSWA played its professional role in promoting social development in the country. Currently, the society works closely with ten universities in five regions and two city administrations with professional experience sharing and research. These universities are representing Afar, Tigray, Amhara, Oromia, SNNP regions as well as Diredawa and Addis Ababa. The list of universities is similar to the geographic area they are located, i.e. Semera, Mekele, Jimma, Arbaminch, Bahir Dar,Gondar, Dire Dawa, Addis Ababa, Wollo, and Harmaya universities. .With the view to increasing representation and membership base, ESSSWA has established three regional chapters in the country that are advancing its mission The existing regional chapters are located at Bahidar representing the North-west Chapter, Mekele –Northern Chapter and Hawassa representing Central South Chapter. Starting from this budget year, ESSSWA has plans to establish two additional regional chapters for South West in Arbaminch and for Western part of the country in Jimma.

When we specifically see the implementation areas of the SPSSSSE Project, it is currently taking place in three Regional States of Amhara, Oromia, SNNP and Addis Ababa city administration. The project is planned to extend into Tigray region and Dire Dawa City Administration within this budget year. Itaimsat improving the social services system in Ethiopia with primary focus on strengthening social service delivery system and workforce in four Regional States (Amhara, Oromia, SNNP and Tigray) and two City Administrations (Addis Ababa and Dire Dawa).

ESSSWA’s secretariat office based in Addis Ababa operates throughout the country through its existing regional chapters based in Amhara, Tigray and SNNP regional states. ESSSWA’s ongoing and upcoming projects will be implemented in partnership with Sociology, Social Work and Anthropology departments of the different universities. The regional offices will also serve as a base to reach adjacent regions or districts. In addition, ESSSWA plans to work closely with Ambo, Wollo, Adama and Wollega public universities as well as with private universities, such Rift Valley, Alpha and St. Mary universities which are currently providing training in Sociology, Social Work and Anthropology.

Furthermore, the FDRE Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, Ministry of Women, Youth and Children Affairs, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Health, HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control Office, including their respective regional offices, will have prime stake in the implementation and utilization of lessons. ESSSWA’s Secretariat Office and its project staff are closely working with those partners.

1.3. ESSSWA’s Project Funding and Staffing
ESSSWA’s secretariat office is staffed with an Executive Director and a Secretary/ Cashier. On the other hand, the secretariat office hosts a USAID-funded “Strengthening Public Sector Social Service System in Ethiopia” (SPSSSSE) project. The project is staffed by a project manager, two project officers and one MELS Officer and Finance Officer. It is also assumed that the number of ESSSWA’s project staff will increase as soon as funding from Oak Foundation for the project “Enhancing Institutional and Research Capacities to Prevent Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation” is secured as expected in the first quarter of the previous year.

With regard to the funding sources of ESSSWA in the reporting year, USAID and Oak Foundation are the major ones. The financial flow was Birr 6,576,634.00 from USAID and Birr 901,060.00 from Oak Foundation. There were also minor financial sources from Helpage International Birr 192,722.00, from membership fee and sale of books Birr 31,723.00 that makes the total annual financial inflow to be Birr 7,702,139.00. Details of the budget report are herewith attached.

Part one of this report covers the performance of USAID-funded “Strengthening Public Sector Social Service System in Ethiopia” (SPSSSSE) project. In part two accomplishments of “Enhancing Competences of Professionals and Institutions to prevent Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation (ECOMP) Project”, which was financed by Oak Foundation, will be presented. It should be noted that the latter project has phased out in December 2014 and a new proposal is submitted to Oak for another three years term.

2. Performances of ESSSWA Projects

PART I. SPSSSSE Project

1.1. Result Areas and Major Achievements of the SPSSSSE Project
The SPSSSE project identified three achievable results that pillared on strengthening institutions (such as MoLSAs, regional BoLSAs and TVETs); developing social service workforce and capacitating ESSSWA. The project was under implementation for this reporting period primarily in Amhara,Oromia, SNNP Regional States, Addis Ababa andDire DawaCity Administrations.

During this period, ESSSWA has achieved remarkable results. Some of the major achievements were the following.
Ø Partnership and networking strengthened and /or established among major public sector social service providing institutions like Amhara, Oromia, Dire Dawa, Addis Ababa, SNNP BoLSAs and TVET Agencies, and Pact Ethiopia YekokebBerhan HVC program to provide quality and sustainable social services,
Ø Awareness created among major public sector social service providing institutions on effective delivery of quality and sustainable social service to the community,
Ø Capacities of 49 TVETs strengthened through materials supports and trainings,
Ø Training provided for existing BoLSA and ZoLSA officials in Amhara Regional State.
Ø 490 Community Service Workers trained and graduated in Amhara and Oromiya Regional States. The trained CSWs deployed in the Amhara and Oromiya regional states and started rendering better services to the vulnerable population.
Ø 1124 pre-service trainees enrolled for the training in 9 polytechnic TVET colleges
Ø Data base established and started capturing social service trainees’ profile, services provided to them and their deployment,
Ø M & E systems established/strengthened to monitor, document and evaluate the project activities.
Ø 39 TVET assessors and trainers certified in collaboration with respective OCACAs of Amhara and SNNP regional states. 14 of the certified were from TVET colleges and Bahir Dar University, 16 were from social service providing organizations and 9 were from SNNP TVET colleges.
Ø 168 social service workers were trained in Social service provision and social protection, monitoring and evaluation to facilitate the implementation of the project from at Dessie Town. The participants were from Amhara ZOLSA, TVET bureau and TVET colleges.
Ø Social Service Workers’ Training Curriculum of Amhara region revised to facilitate child focused training of the second batch. The curriculum revision has been conducted by experts from ESSSWA, BoLSAs, TVET Agency and TVET teachers from at Dessie Town.
Ø Consultative workshop conducted at Bishoftu Town for 38 participants from Addis Ababa (Bureau and department heads of Addis Ababa BoLSA, TVET Bureau, OCACA and representatives from the 10 Sub-cities) on the progress of the SPSSSSE project implementation.
Ø 10 Amhara Region ZOLSAs representatives were coached and mentored in their respective offices on topics related to pre-service trainee selection and deployment, referral and linkage, resource mobilization, documentation, best practice and lesson learned.

1.2. Major accomplishments of the SPSSSSE project as per the project Results

Result 1. Institutional and Technical capacities of MoLSA and regional BoLSAs and BoWCYA strengthened to establish a child focused social services system.

i) Strengthening and/or Establishing Partnership and Networking
Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs (MoLSA), Ministry of Women, Children and Youth Affairs (MoWCYA), and their respective Regional Bureaus, Universities, TVETs and Civil society Organizations (CSO) are the relevant public sector organizations in implementing the SPSSSSE project. SPSSSSE project is, therefore, implementing its activities together with those stakeholders putting MoLSA, BoLSA and TVETs at the forefront among others. To this effect, operational agreement has been made with MoLSA in September, 2014.

One of the achievements of the project under this result is, thus establishing and/or strengthening partnership with Addis Ababa, Amhara and OromiaBoLSAs and BoFEDs. The project has been appraised with Addis Ababa, Amhara and OromiaBoLSAs and hence Project operational agreements were signed between them and the respective BoFEDs. In addition to this, networking has been established among ESSSWA, AmharaBoLSA, Bahir Dar University, and Pact/ YekokebBerhan HVC program regional office. This facilitated the implementation of the project. This suggests that quality and sustainable social services will be effectively delivered emphasizing on children that are affected and/or infected by HIV and AIDS.

ii) Awareness Creation
Following the agreement of this project with USAID, ESSSWA has been creating awareness on key stakeholders on the social service delivery strategy, social services, system strengthening, to serve as mentors and supervisors for community based service providers. This has been done through discussion at office level and workshops.
Ø Workshop:-As result of intermittent discussions made and partnership established, the project conducted two orientation workshops in Amhara, Oromia Regional States and Addis Ababa city Administrations.There were 37 participants from Amhara, 18 from Oromia and 2 from Addis Ababa. The participantsrepresentedBoLSA, BoWCYA, TVET Agency, partner training colleges, and ESSSWA’s regional chapters and Universities. The workshops have created common understanding on the project objectives among the participants; and hence they agreed to implement the project jointly taking different roles and responsibilities for development of workforce in their respective regions in general and in their sectors in particular.
Ø Consultative meeting workshop also held in SNNP at the end of September 2014 to introduce the project objectives and underpin joint efforts.

iii) Conducting Assessments
In order to identify the gaps, the project has also carried out assessments in the first and second quarters of the implementation. Some of the assessments conducted were:

a) Organizational Capacity Assessment
The other achievement of the project under this expected result is organizational capacity assessment conducted. Following the establishment of networking and partnership, it was mandatory to identify gaps, needs and capacity of the partner government organizations that have remarkable contribution for the achievement of the project’s objectives.

Thus, organizational capacity assessment has been carried out in Amhara regional state in the beginning of the second quarter of this implementation year by a team composed of the project staff, ESSSWA’s regional chapter, Amhara regional state BoLSA, TVET and BoWCYA. The assessment finally found that there was institutional capacity limitation and shortage of social service workforce.

As per the findings, therefore, the assessment team recommended technical assistance, training, information & resource, experience sharing, and material supports to the Amhara regional state BoLSA and TVETs. Workforce development and deployment to social service points at woredas and kebles was also at the forefront of the recommendation.

Similarly capacity assessment conducted in Oromia Regional State, Bishoftu Community Development Training Center and Addis Ababa City Administration (Mickey Leland Community Development Training Center).

b) Mapping of Social Workforce Training
The project conducted mapping with the objectives of identifying lists of social service workforce development training curricula across the entire stakeholders, identifying partners who provide such training and describing the current practices of training for social service and identifying strengths, challenges as well as outlining the future policy provisions towards social service workforce development. The assessment finds that there are different local and international organizations and institutions that are working on social service workforce training with and without curricula. And hence, the existing challenges needs urgent response in terms of developing standardized training curricula and frameworks that facilitate the coordination of stakeholders’ engagement. This helps the project to strategize its future planning and implementation.

c) Conducting Training
Training is one of the key tools that capacitate professionals. Based on the gaps identified through assessments, two training were conducted to the existing social workers who are working for key stakeholder organizations. In-service training was carried out in Bahir Dar for 86 existing social workers on themes related to community social service trainees selection criteria, their job description, and training curriculum and related activities with the social service system strengthening. In addition to this, the project has provided training on COC for 16 assessors in Bahir Dar on which 13 of them been certified to carry out COC.

Result 2. Social service workers trained and deployed in four target regions and two city administrations to provide community based social services
In addition to organizational capacity development through technical and material supports, workforce development and deployment to the social service delivery points is one of the prime objectives of this project. In line with plan, the project has done the following major activities in this reporting period.

a) Identifying Social Service training centers (TVETs): Bishoftu CDTC in Oromia region; Bahir Dar, Gonder and WoizeroSiheen TVETs in Amhara Region, Mickey Leland Community Development Training Center in Addis Ababa , MelesZenawi Memorial college in Dire Dawa, and Mizan-Aman, WolytaSodo and Hawassa TVET colleges in SNNP had been selected and provided the Pre-service training.
b) Providing material supports to TVETs: Capacity assessments have been conducted on Bishoftu Community Development Center, Bahir Dar, Gonder, and WoizeroSiheen polytechnic colleges in the Amhara Region and Mickey Leland Community Development Training Center in Addis Ababa, MelesZenawi Memorial college in Dire Dawa, and Mizan-Aman, WolytaSodo and Hawassa TVET colleges in SNNP with participants from the project, relevant government partners and each respective training college. It has been found that material supports are needed to capacitate the colleges. The team thus recommended: Computers, Printers, and Photocopy machines and stationery materials.
c) Based on this recommendation, thus 19 Dell Computers, 10 photo copiers, 10 Laser Jet printers, 4 LCDs, 120 rims of double A printer paper, 4 packs of Lexi pens, 14 photo copy tonners, 16 printer tonners, 30 packs of white board markers and 10 dusters were provided to the aforementioned colleges.
d) Developing Job Description for the new social service workers:- It was revealed in the IntraHealth social service workforce assessment report that the existing social service workforce has no clear job description (JD). Hence, ESSSWA developed the draft JD for the new social service workers; and the draft JD was validated in the Amhara and SNNP training and workshop held in September, 2014.
e) Developing social service work trainees’ selection criteria: - It was necessary to develop selection criteria to get the desired qualities of the social service trainees. Therefore, the project has developed and adapted selection criteria. Therefore, the project has developed and adapted the selection criteria based on Bishoftu CDTC trainee selection criteria, AmharaBoLSA and TVET’s selection criteria.
f) Database Development: - The other result the project has achieved in this reporting period is the development of database for the project. It had been planned with the intent of improving data management system, documentation system and providing evidence-based decision during the project implementation period and to take lessons learned best practices and success stories even after the termination of the project. It captured the trainees’ profile, services provided and the planning processes.
g) Conducting Pre-service training for community social service workers at 4 sites: - As result of the accomplishment of above processes and activities, the pre-service training has commenced in the 4th quarter.

Comply with the TVETs’ selection criteria standard, trainees have been selected by their respective BoLSAs and enrolled in the college for levels I & II pre-service training. Therefore, a total of 490new batch of pre-service social workers trainees have been registered and enrolled from 4 TVETs in 3rd and 4th quarter of this reporting period. The overall achievement of the year is 93 percent in-take of which 100% is graduated and deployed, respectively (see the table below for details).

TVETs by Region Intake of Trainees Status of Trainees
Planned Achieved In Training Graduated Deployed
Amhara 400 390 390 390 390
Bahir Dar Polytechnic TVET College 140 130 130 130 130
Gonder Polytechnic TVET College 80 90 90 90 90
WoizeroSiheen Polytechnic TVET 170 170 170 170 170
Oromia 100 100 100 100 100
1. Bisheftu CDTC 100 100 100 100 100
Addis Ababa 100 70 — — —
Mickyleland TVET 100 70 — — —
Total 600 560 490 490 490
% Achieved — 93.3 — 100 100

During the training the project has carried out the following:
Ø 18 on site supportive supervisions to 5 training centers
Ø Coaching and mentoring
Ø Covering monthly fees for 570 trainees
Ø Capacitating TVET centers
Ø Discussions with BoLSAs, TVETs and trainees and other stakeholders.
With the completion of Level I & II training curriculum, a total of 490 pre-service trainees were successfully graduated in this reporting period. This is 82% achievement of the total target 600 for this year. The remaining 70 trainees at Mickey Leland CDTC are still taking the training as they enrolled of this reporting period.

h) Deployment
SPSSSSE project strives that merely training Community Service Workers is not an end by itself. Deployment of the graduated social service workers is equally important. Therefore, among 490 graduated pre-service trainees, all have been deployed and already started rendering social services to the vulnerable population in their respective areas.
It was found that all graduates of the first batch (490) were deployed at Woreda office (134 SSW) and at CCC level (356 SSW) with a monthly salary that ranges from 200 to 1743 birr.

i) Enrollment
Pre-service training of the second batch started with 1124 trainees in 9 TVETscenters.Comply with the TVETs’ selection criteria standard, trainees have been selected by their respective BoLSAs and enrolled in the college for levels I & II. Therefore, a total of 1124 pre-service social workers trainees have been registered and started the training in this quarter in Addis Ababa(75) Amhara(330), Oromia (297), SNNP(387), and Dire Dawa(35).

Result 3: ESSSWA and its regional chapters become centers of technical support and facilitation on social service workers’ training and deployment
To comply with this result, the project has achieved the accomplishment of activities that capacitated ESSSWA’s project staff and its regional chapters. Here are the activities accomplished that yield to meet result 3 of the project:

1.3. Training
· Attending HelpAge International’s Training: - This is one of the opportunities the project has got through linkages already established by ESSSWA. Following the recruit of staff, a project manager and two project officers attended training for five days with the themes of social protection policy.
· Conducting training to the project staff and ESSSWA’s regional chapters: - This is one of the activities that aimed to capacitate ESSSWA. Training has been carried out for ESSSWA staff & regional chapters with the theme of social protection policy, the draft Social Protection Policy of Ethiopia, Joint Action Plan, OS and TVET Strategies.
· Attending training conducted by EY and The Kaizen Company: - ESSSWA’s organizational capacityhas been assessed by EY in the second quarter of this implementation period. Gaps were identified and discussions were held between ESSSWA and EY on the findings. To this end, the Project Manager, the Finance Officer and M&E officer participated in the two days training given by EY on USAID compliance and M&E related issues. These have great contribution to capacitate ESSSWA. In addition to this, Capacity of SPSSSSE project staff strengthened to implement the project properly. The Kaizen Company carried out capacity training to 3 project staff on financial policies and management (18/11/14), Budgeting program (31/12/14), and DQA and management (31/12/14).

1.4. Conducting Annual conference:- ESSSWA has held its 10th annual conference in Harmony Hotel from 28-29th March 2014 with its members and stakeholders under the title of “ Social Transformation in a Period of Growth in Ethiopia”.
ESSSWA, therefore, introduced and presented the nature and status of SPSSSSE project for the members. ESSSWA created awareness for about 250 sociologists, social workers and anthropologists who came from all over the country.
1.5. Strengthening M & E system and documentation of the project: - the day-to-day activities of the project have been documented. The project developed database on which every pre-service trainees’ profile, services provided, deployment and planning recorded and documented. These records and documents in turn used as inputs for monitoring and evaluation of the project.

1.3. Challenges and Constraints

During this reporting period the project has faced the following challenges and constraints:
Staff turnover: - the posts of project manager and finance officer were vacant following their resignation.
High expectation from pre-service social service trainees and TVET trainers.
Ø Lack of readiness from Tigray Regional BoLSA to sign the project agreement.
Ø Delay in the graduation of Addis Ababa trainees
Ø The delay of the employment of SSW trainers in SNNP and the rules of the TVET College about the pre-assessment of all trainers before joined to the TVET Colleges,
Ø Lack of commitment of trainers to work in Aman- Mizan.
Ø Lack of understandings of the Zone and Woreda level government officials upon the project and the selection criteria of the SW particularly in SNNP and Dire Dawa

The above mentioned challenges and constraints have been addressed in the following manner:
Measures were taken to the challenges raised as a result of staff turnover.
The first one was assigning one of the project officers to the post of acting Project Manager so that the activities have been carried out. In addition to this, project staffs have been working extra hours to run the activities. The second was hiring a Project Manager and Finance Officer.
The project also used orientation and discussion with trainees and TVET teachers about the objectives and strategies of the project.
Ø ESSSWA Communicated repeatedly with Tigray Regional BoLSA.
Ø Facilitate tutorial to shorten the training period
Ø ESSSWA facilitate the screening of the SSW trainers in SNNP region and paid the payments for COC assessment of 21 SW applicants. Moreover, the salary of the 8 trainers will be covered by ESSSSWA’s SPSSSSE project during the training period.
Ø Discussion with Aman-Mizan Polytechnic TVET College dean to assign trainers so ESSSWA/SPSSSSE project will pay overtime payment.
PART 2.

Enhancing Competences of Professionals and Institutions to prevent Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation (ECOMP)

Oak Foundation being one of ESSSWA’s long standing partners, this three year project was planned to be implemented starting from March 2011 to February 2013. However, due to some delays during the planned implementation period, a “no cost” extension was made and the project has phased out in December 2014. Yet, the project has made significant contribution in realizing ESSSWA’s strategic objectives related to members professional competence, research and development as well as knowledge management.

2.1. Objectives
Objective 1: To provide guidance on service provision guideline for professionals, academicians and students of sociology, social work and anthropology in the delivery of services to various groups of children with a focus on sexually abused and exploited children.

Objective 2: Enhance knowledge and facilitate experience sharing on child protection issues among ESSSWA members, faculty and students of sociology, social work and anthropology in six universities in Ethiopia.

2.2. Overall Achievements (in three years)
This Oak Foundation supported project has contributed greatly in building ESSSWA’s centre of excellence in activities related to child sexual abuse and exploitation. As a result, ESSSWAs’ seminar series, publications, research outputs and overall project implementation experiences have been instrumental to make the situation of child protection, child sexual abuse and exploitation in Ethiopia to be more recognized. The academic and research community, key policy making institutions and practitioners have now started to show their concerns on issues that need child protection.

The documentation and learning achievements of the projects has created better access to thousands of professionals at national and regional levels to share their knowledge, skills and experiences. By the financial support of this project, ESSSWA has been enabled to develop and implement its Strategic Plan (2012 -2016). The strategic plan has guided all its actions; helped to realize its mission by responding to emerging social issues. Significant achievements have also been made in the area of ESSSWA’s growth as a professional society and increase its acceptance, presence and service provision in different forums with line ministries, NGOs, GOs, academic institutions, and professionals working with children. By the help of this project, this momentum will be strengthened and scaled up further.

2.3. Achievements of Objective 1.

· Capacities improved on the use of a standard service provision guideline with key partners training institutions, service providers working with vulnerable children for 320 beneficiaries;
· Closely worked with six training universities to introduce the standard service provision guideline to teachers and students of sociology, social work and anthropology for 600 participants,
Agreements were made and adhered with partner universities and regional chapters on the development and introduction of ethical standards and social service delivery for vulnerable children, including sexually abused and neglected children. The discussions revealed on the urgency of the introduction of lessons from international and regional experiences until the national guideline on service delivery is developed.

Thus, joint capacity building workshops were held with four sociology, social work and anthropology training universities of (Gondar, Jimma, Adama, Mekelle Universities) and with three ESSSWA regional chapters (Mekelle, Bahir Darand Hawassa). The participants of the workshop were drawn from regional BoWCYA, BoLSA, Police, Bahir Dar, Gondar, Mekelle, Adama and Jimma University students and academic staff. Nongovernment organizations representatives include community based institutions, such as Idders, child focused organizations (Plan Ethiopia, Save the Children, UNICEF, WFP, Autistic Child Center, Tigray Development Association, SOS, CHADET and FSCE-Ethiopia).

2.4. Achievements of Objective 2.

The following key areas are selected as major achievement of the second project objective.
· Capacity developed seminars organized on themes of vulnerable children, and men and boys engagement delivered for over 1000 students at six partner universities, in three regional chapters;
· Organized annual research and development dissemination conference to 400 participants using annual conferences of ESSSWA,
· Tabled out emerging social issues with particular focus to children in two thematic conferences on “Social Transformation in a Period of Growth in Ethiopia” and “Transforming Society through Social Protection: The Impacts of the GTP for Vulnerable Segments of the Population”. The conference, in many of the themes, also covered issue related to Child vulnerabilities.
· ESSSWA collaboratively worked with six sociology, social work and anthropology academic institutes in Addis Ababa, Jimma, Hawassa, Mekelle, and Gondar. Accordingly, workshop/seminar events on children’s issues were attended by over 250 participants. Moreover, a workshop on standard service procedures and ethical guidelines adapted from the International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW) has been conducted.
· The other development was that ESSSWA had organized and carried out a series of five seminars with a total of 352 participants on themes of vulnerable children, especially child prevention from, sexual abuse, exploitation, child wellbeing and men and boys engagement in Adama University, Jimma University, University of Gondar, Bahir Dar Chapter and Mekelle Chapter.
· By the use of funds secured from this project, three regional chapters were supported by office equipments (furniture and computers) and received technical backstopping support from the secretariat office.

3. Board Activities

Engagement of the ESSSWA board members, both as a group and individually, was intensive and frequent. The board met more than five times in the reporting year and discussed and decided on issues of strategic importance to the society. In the budget year, board members met more than 15 times in different sub-groups and supported capacity-building of the secretariat office, which included staff recruitment (Executive Director and Project Manager) as well as supporting the office to deal with internal administrative and human resources related issues, such as managing gaps created as a result of leadership change. The board members supported the Executive Director with fund raising efforts, particularly in creating links with potential donors and helping in generating project ideas. Board members also played a lead role in reviewing/selecting abstracts for presentations for the annual conference. These are just to mention a few of the activities performed by the Board.

4. Membership Benefits and Rendered Services

ESSSWA’s members have reached 850. However, not more than 5% of the members pay annual membership fees on regular basis. On the other hand, over 18 years of its existence, ESSSWA has provided the following services to members:
1. Information sharing:
Information regarding ESSSWA, new developments and other issues were shared with members using regional seminars, workshops and annual conferences as well as email communications and through ESSSWA’s website, obsolete though.
2. Training:
Members from both the academia and from service providers have received various trainings in ethical standards, code of conduct, child protection and in secondary abuse by professionals at regional and national levels.
3. Capacity Building Support:
ESSSWA is working closely with three regional chapters (Bahir Dar, Hawassa and Mekelle) providing them with technical and material support and enable them extend similar services to members in those regions.
4. Reference Materials and Publications:
Every year ESSSWA’s publications are shared with over 20 universities teaching in the field of Sociology, Social Work and Anthropology, to more than 10 relevant government and non-government stakeholders. Many researchers in those fields are also taking ESSSWA’s publications as references.
5. Creating Employment Opportunities:
ESSSWA’s secretariat office is now serving as an employment centre in its ongoing projects supported by Oak Foundation and USAID. At head quarter level, an employment opportunity is created for six professional staff and for two support staff. In regions where USAID Funded SPSSSSE project operates, there are over 15 trainers securing employment in the project.
6. Support Letters and Recommendations:
ESSSW’s members have provided commendable voluntary services and in exchange received support and recommendation letters on demand basis.

5. CONCLUSION

The Ethiopian society of sociologists, social workers and anthropologists, guided by its five year strategic plan has advanced its professional excellence by responding to emerging social issues. Supported by two projects financed by USAID and Oak Foundation, remarkable achievements have been recorded. The development of community social workforce reflects ESSSWA’s professionalism and its pragmatic actions. This was evidenced by USAID-funded three years project titled: “Strengthening Public Sector Social Service Systems in Ethiopia” (SPSSSSE), which targets to build the skills of 4,000 Para-professionals and community level social workers.

The other remarkable achievement was gained by means of Oak Foundation supported project on: “Enhancing Competences of Professionals and Institutions to Prevent Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation (ECOMP)”. The project has contributed greatly in building ESSSWA’s research and development efforts by addressing issues on child sexual abuse and exploitation. Supported by different seminar series, the experiences of this project implementation have been instrumental to make the situation of child protection, child sexual abuse and exploitation in Ethiopia to be more recognized across all regions in Ethiopia.

The strategic plan has guided all its actions and helped to realize its mission by responding to emerging social issues. Accordingly, ESSSWA’s future focus will be more of quality orientation in its research products, publications, and documentation and communication practices. Such efforts should be cascaded to existing and forthcoming regional chapters and backed by making ESSSWA’s vibrant website vibrant. Finally, the new Social Protection Policy will give ESSSWA further imputable advantage, visibility and acceptance.