PROJECT MERCY - A PROVEN NGO IMPLEMENTING PARTNER

UNCLAS ROME 005771 SIPDIS FROM U.S. MISSION IN ROME UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 02 ROME 05771 291212Z AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA FOR AMBASSADOR BRAZEAL AND USAID ACTING DIRECTOR PARK USDA/FAS NAIROBI FOR FRED KESSEL AND USAID REDSO STATE FOR A/S PRM DEWEY, A/S IO HOLMES AND AF/E USAID FOR AA/DCHA WINTER, D/DCHA/FFP LLANDIS USDA/FAS FOR MCHAMBLISS, RTILSWORTH AND LREICH NSC FOR JWDORKEN E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID AORC PREF EAGR EU WFP UN SUBJECT: PROJECT MERCY - A PROVEN NGO IMPLEMENTING PARTNER IN ETHIOPIA - REQUEST FOR IN-COUNTRY SUPPORT REF: (A) ADDIS ABABA 3632, (B) ROME 4735, (C) STATE 232929 -------------- SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. USMISSION AMBASSADOR TONY HALL HAS KNOWN MATRA GABRE- TSADICK AND HER HUSBAND DEME WHO RUN A NON-GOVERNMENTAL SIPDIS ORGANIZATION CALLED PROJECT MERCY IN THE SOUTHERN REGION (SNNPR) FOR MANY YEARS AND CONSIDERS THEM OUTSTANDING HUMANITARIANS. HE HAS VISITED THEIR PROJECT NEAR BUTAJIRA, IN THE GURAGE ZONE. AS ETHIOPIA IS AGAIN IN THE MIDST OF A SERIOUS CRISIS, THEIR NGO NEEDS ADDITIONAL SUPPORT IN ORDER TO ENHANCE ITS OUTREACH. EMBASSY/USAID/UN AGENCIES ARE ASKED TO ONCE AGAIN CONSIDER PROJECT MERCY AS A VIABLE IMPLEMENTING PARTNER. END SUMMARY. -------------- UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 03 ROME 05771 291212Z BACKGROUND -------------- ¶2. AS NOTED REFS (A)(B),THE SITUATION IN ETHIOPIA IS AGAIN CRITICAL. THE SERIOUS DROUGHT HAS LEAD TO WIDESPREAD CROP FAILURE AND DECLARATIONS OF DISASTER BY THE GOVERNMENT OF THE FEDERAL DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF ETHIOPIA (GFDRE) AND US EMBASSY ADDIS. PRIME MINISTER MELES ZENAWI HAS STATED PUBLICLY THAT THE SITUATION IS WORSE THAN THE GREAT FAMINE OF 1984-5. ¶3. BOTH USAID AND THE UN AGENCIES INCLUDING THE WORLD FOOD PROGRAM (WFP) ARE RESPONDING TO THE SITUATION. THE US HAS ANNOUNCED INITIAL PLEDGES AND HAS REQUESTED OTHER DONORS TO CONTRIBUTE SWIFTLY AND GENEROUSLY (REF C). BOTH INTERNATIONAL AND LOCAL NGO'S ARE REQUIRED AS IMPLEMENTING PARTNERS IN ORDER TO REACH AFFECTED COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY. ¶4. PROJECT MERCY IS A US-REGISTERED CHARITABLE GROUP THAT OPERATES IN THE SOUTHERN REGION OF ETHIOPIA. PERSONAL KNOWLEDGE OF THEIR OPERATIONS AND A SITE VISIT BY THEN- CONGRESSMAN HALL IN AUGUST 2000 SHOWED PROJECT MERCY RUNNING AN EXTREMELY EFFECTIVE OPERATION WHICH INCLUDED A NUMBER OF COMPREHENSIVE DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS. ¶5. IN ADDITION TO BEING A REGISTERED PRIVATE VOLUNTARY ORGANIZATION (PVO) WITH USAID, THEY RECEIVED ASSISTANCE FROM BOTH USAID AND WFP IN AUGUST 2000 (A TOTAL OF 847 METRIC TONS OF FOOD AID). THEY HAVE BEEN OPERATING IN THE REGION FOR ALMOST A DECADE AND ENJOY THE SUPPORT OF THE LOCAL UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 04 ROME 05771 291212Z COMMUNITY AND GOVERNMENT. ¶6. THEY ARE NOW PROPOSING TO EXPAND THEIR OPERATIONS GIVEN THE GROWING EMERGENCY SITUATION, AS THEY DID DURING THE DROUGHT OF 1999-2000. THEY WANT TO ESTABLISH BOTH A SUPPLEMENTAL FEEDING PROGRAM AND FOOD DISTRIBUTIONS IN SEVEN DISTRICTS OF THE GURAGE ZONE IN THE SOUTHERN REGION (SNNPR). THEY ESTIMATE THE NEED TO BE ALMOST 53,000 PEOPLE, INCLUDING 13,000 CHILDREN. ¶7. THEIR OWN ASSESSMENTS SHOW THE NEED FOR A SUPPLEMENTAL FEEDING PROGRAM IN ORDER TO REACH THE SEVERELY MALNOURISHED AND A FOOD DISTRIBUTION FOR THE REST OF THE POPULATION. THEY HAVE DEVELOPED A FORTIFIED PORRIDGE CALLED ATMIT, THAT IS BOTH NUTRITIONALLY SOUND AND LOCALLY ACCEPTED. THEY REQUIRE APPROXIMATELY 6,000 TONS OF ROLLED OATS, NON-FAT DRY MILK, SUGAR AND FORTIFICATION MIX. FOR THE GENERAL FOOD DISTRIBUTION, WHEAT FLOUR (OR WHEAT FLOUR BLENDS) AND VEGETABLE OIL ARE NEEDED. ¶8. US MISSION/ROME WILL CONTINUE TO HIGHLIGHT THE NEED IN THE REGION AND WILL WORK WITH OTHER DONORS TO INCREASE THEIR DONATIONS. ANY POSSIBLE SUPPORT FOR PROJECT MERCY FROM EMBASSY/USAID/UN AGENCIES IN-COUNTRY IS APPRECIATED. HALL UNCLASSIFIED > 2002ROME05771 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED