Introduction 

Ethiopia is located in the eastern part of Africa neighboring the Sudan, Eritrea, Djibouti, Somalia and Kenya. It is the third largest country in Sub-Saharan Africa with a total area of 1.13 million sq km. and estimated population of 80 million. Although the country is a potentially rich country, majority of its people both in urban and rural areas live in absolute poverty caused by natural and manmade calamities exacerbated by long years of internal and external conflicts.

After identifying poverty as the root cause of the country’s socio - political and economic problems, the Ethiopian government has been working intensively on poverty alleviation program since the downfall of the Derg’s regime in the early 1990s. Many national and international Non Governmental Organizations operating in the country have also shifted from relief and rehabilitation programs to integrated development activities to contribute their share in the government’s effort to eradicate poverty and change the status of the country from rock bottom   poor country to a medium income country by the year 2020.

The end of the cold war has brought with it drastic changes in donor – receipt relationships. The conditions for receiving aid have now changed from mere selection of communist or capitalist ideology during the cold war to democratization process, free market economy, environmental protection, human rights, rule of law, and many more. Aid recipient countries are also expected to pay particular attention to sustainability of their development programs and operate in line with their short term and long-term comprehensive strategic development plans.

The same also applies to NGOs in that they should focus their activities at contributing to the country’s development endeavors than relief assistance and handouts. To do that they are expected to have a clearly designed strategic plan showing where the organization is going over in one or more years, how it is going to get there and how it will know if it got there or not. A well-formulated strategic plan helps the organization to know where it is now, what it wants to achieve in the future and how to reach there. To provide appropriate solutions to these and similar questions, HOPE 2020 has designed these five years sustainable and integrated strategic development plan in line with the government’s strategic development plan for the next five years.

The strategic plan has two parts. The first part deals with the objectives of the strategic plan itself and the methods of its development. A general view of HOPE 2020 including its establishment, major program areas and achievements, strength, weakness and opportunities etc are also discussed in this part. The second part deals with the programs the organization is planning to implement in the next five years. Each program is detailed in physical and financial plan on yearly basis so that donors select the program that most interests them.

 

Objectives of the Strategic Plan 

• To enable the government, donor organizations, the community, and others understand the present position of the organization, what it wants to be in the future and the  proposed plan to reach there
• To make its development programs more comprehensive
• To improve HOPE 2020 effectiveness and efficiency by pulling together whatever available, financial, material and human resources
• To make HOPE 2020 vision, mission and objectives more explicit to stakeholders
• To win acceptance and credibility from donor organizations to get the required support since the organization, like other indigenous NGOs, is still dependent on external aid to accomplish its mission and objectives
• To design appropriate strategy by assessing the internal and external environment within which the organization operates so that corrective actions can be taken against its shortcomings and to further strengthen and consolidate its good experiences

 Strategic Plan Development Methodology 

After agreeing on the importance of designing a five years Sustainable and Integrated Development Strategic Plan/SIDSP/ by HOPE 2020 Board of Directors, a team composed of three professionals from staff has been setup to conduct the initial plan of the strategic plan. The team started its work by preparing a plan of action. The tools used for gathering information are interviews, individual and/or group discussions and questionnaires.

A questionnaire to be filled by all stakeholders and other relevant organizations was designed to undertake situational analysis. The team also conducted interviews and discussions with staff members, beneficiaries and relevant government line offices and local community structures. After gathering constructive information and ideas from individual and/or group discussions with relevant organizations and other agencies known for their expert advice and professionalism, this strategic plan has been developed.

The draft strategic plan designed on the basis of the findings was presented to HOPE 2020 management staff for appraisal. A two days workshop was held on the strategic plan in which donors, government representatives, beneficiaries’ representatives, community representatives and staff members participated. The participants actively discussed on the draft strategic plan and forwarded very useful and constructive ideas, which are included in the draft.

The team finally submitted the draft strategic plan to HOPE 2020 Board of Directors and the Board inline with Article 16(7) of The Revised Administrative Manual of the organization submitted the draft to the General Assembly for approval. The General Assembly has held intensive discussions on the draft strategic plan and finally approved it as HOPE 2020 Sustainable and Integrated Development Strategic Plan/SIDSP/.

 

Overview of HOPE 2020

Establishment

HOPE 2020 is an indigenous non-government, non-religious, non-tribal, non-political and a non-profit humanitarian organization established in 2004 by concerned and devoted Ethiopians. It is established for the purpose of participating actively in Integrated Rural Development Programs (IRDP) in line with Ethiopian government development strategies in alleviating economic and social problems prevailing in the country.

Legal status

HOPE 2020 is a legally registered and licensed organization by Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia Ministry Of Justice in accordance with association registration regulation with a registration certificate No.1865.The organization has been undertaking its activities by signing operational agreements with Federal and Regional Food Security Disaster Prevention and Preparedness Commission/FSDPPC/. It has also singed region based project agreements with relevant regional bureaus.

Governance

The organization has a General Assembly, the supreme power of the organization, consisting of founding members and other members who have joined the association after its establishment to oversee and deal with all policy issues. It has also a managing board of five members to decide on major administrative matters and oversee major developments and guide its operations. There is a management committee consisting department heads and chaired by General Manager to deal and execute day-to-day administrative and managerial matters.

The General Manager, responsible to the Board of directors, is entrusted with the main task of overseeing   and implementing decisions passed by the General Assembly and Board of Directors. He also manages the day-to-day activities and operations of the organization. The organization has four major departments, namely Administration, Finance, Program and Public Relations departments, and each department has also three to five divisions. For further detail, the organizational structure of the association is annexed. 

Vision, Mission and Objectives

Vision

Hope 2020 has a vision to see a health, gender balanced, prosperous and productive society that live in a clean and fresh environment by the end of the year 2020 Ethiopian Calendar.

Mission

Through its Sustainable and Integrated Development Program, the organization has the mission to:

• Improve the health situation of the rural community by increasing their access to potable water, promoting hygiene education and environmental sanitation thereby eradicating water born diseases
• Fight the spread of HIV/AIDS and its associated problems especially to rural areas through community mobilization strategies and by providing the necessary care and  support for individuals infected and families affected by the pandemic
• Improve the livelihood of the rural community through establishing saving and credit schemes and promoting alternative energy sources
• Protect environmental degradation by community mobilization in tree planting, forest rehabilitation and protection, natural resources management by introducing alternative energy sources
• Create gender balanced society through women empowerment activities like saving and credit schemes, awareness creation on their human and democratic rights, providing training and technical advice to local community based organizations and women groups

General objective

The general objective of the organization is to alleviate poverty, which is the main cause of socio-economic and political problems prevailing in the country for centuries, by supporting and stimulating the economic growth of the target community with priority to rural communities.

Specific objectives

The organization has the following specific objectives to achieve in the next five years.

• Increasing the actual daily clean water consumption per family and decrease water born related diseases and women and children work load, and increase the level of community's awareness regarding Hygiene and Sanitation by drilling 25 bore hole with 90 water points in its operational areas in the next five years.
• Fight the spread of HIV/AIDS, especially to rural areas, through community mobilization strategies using local community structures and by increasing access to essential services for 15,000 orphans and vulnerable children and 5,000 people living with the virus in its operational areas in the next five years
• Improve the rural communities’ children access to basic education by constructing and furnishing 18 new schools and rehabilitating 15 existing schools in five years time in its operational areas
• Improve the rural communities access to health services by constructing and equipping 20 new health posts and rehabilitating 15 existing health posts in its operational areas in the next five years
• Reduce gender inequality by 95% through various empowerment activities like economic support by building their capacity in income generating activities, educational support through girls scholarships, awareness creation on their legal rights and others that cover about 50,000 women in five years in its operational arras
• Protect environmental degradation by introducing alternative energy sources like solar energy, biogas energy and wind energy to 2,175 households; and by planting 1million seedlings and terracing 25km hill sides exposed to erosion in the next five years in its operational areas

Major programs

• Water supply, Sanitation and Hygiene program
• Education and Health Program
• HIV/AIDS Prevention, Care and Support Program
• Women Empowerment and Elders Capacity Building Program
• Promotion of Alternative Technology for Development Program
• Environmental Protection Program

Major Achievements

Though HOPE 2020 is few years old, its integrated rural development programs to solve the various socio-economic problems of the rural community attracted international NGOs like Water Aid-Ethiopia, Comitato Internazionale per lo sviluppo dei popoli (CISP-Italian based international NGO) and Water Millennium Alliance (USAID) which are currently working as a partner with the organization.

The following are some of the major achievements of the organization in its four years journey to solve the various socio-economic problems of the rural community:

• 32 water points each having 6 faucets have been completed and are serving about 25,000 people
• Four 50m3  & two 25m3 water reservoir have been completed and under use
• As part of water- Sanitation and Hygiene program, 1406 traditional pit latrine that serves about 14,060 people constructed and under use by the local community
• 319 common waste disposal that serves about 3,190 households have been excavated and under use in its intervention areas
• 75,000 people have obtained mass education on hygiene, health, sanitation and HIV/AIDS
• 32 community washing basin that serves about 16,000 people has been constructed and under use
• 32 Shower house that serve about 25,000 people has been constructed and under use
• 18,000m trench, which costs about 40,000 USD have been excavated by the community which shows the organization’s capacity to mobilize local resources
• One primary school that serves 1200 children every year has been constructed and under use
• 50 village health, sanitation and hygiene promoters trained and deployed in its operation areas
• 100 farmers trained on traditional irrigation practices and some are already generating lucrative income             

Geographical Operational Areas

HOPE 2020 has its head office in Addis Ababa City Administration, Kolfe Keraniyo Sub City, Kebele 13/14, and House Number 1014/HIRRA Building/. It has also branch offices in its operational areas.

Currently HOPE 2020 implementing water supply, sanitation, hygiene promotion, HIV/AIDS prevention, care and support, orphans care and support and other projects in Saden Soddo, Woliso and Tole weredas of South West Shoa zone of Oromia National Regional State.

 The following table shows proposed project areas to be covered in the coming five years.

 

HOPE 2020 Manpower Status

 One of the most important organizational resources to fulfill its objectives is its manpower, both skilled and unskilled. The following table shows the manpower status of the organization as of August 2007.

 

Implementation Strategy

Hope 2020 has designed the following strategies using the critical issues approach to achieve its objectives.

• Improve organizational structure depending on progress and development of the organization in cooperation with professional staffs and making best use of external consultancy services when necessary
• Organize training for board members, management staff and workers at all levels to further improve and upgrade the quality of their performance
• Prepare and carryout appropriate administrative and financial guidelines including management manuals in cooperation and consultation with professional staffs and consultancy sevices when necessary
• Design and implement different income generating activities to mobilize resources to implement its programs and reduce dependence on donors
• Establish a system in which project preparation, implementation and follow-up activities can be effectively undertaken by professionals.
• Integrate different projects/programs to achieve efficient use of resources
• Creating strong networking with government line offices, NGOs (local or international) and other relevant organizations working to achieve the same objectives
• Follows community participatory approach by encouraging social auditing and building their capacity by providing different trainings in project implementation and management and handing over projects to the community
• Develop participatory monitoring and evaluation system

SWOT Analysis

There is no long lasting strategic plan and no organization in such a competitive world can continue to apply the same strategy for years since conditions keep on changing and they shouldbe monitored and strategies should be adjusted with the changes. In order to meet new and changing conditions, it is necessary to develop awareness of the various options open to the organization.

When developing a strategic plan for an organization, therefore, a review of the organization’s internal and external situations should be made through what is called SWOT (Strength-Weakness-Opportunity-Treats Analysis) and the most critical issues central to the organization’s future success be properly identified.

In view of this, HOPE 2020 has reviewed itself by revising its administrative manual, organizational structure, manpower and its previous five years strategic plan. It has also assed the external environment in which it operates by holding intensive discussions with various concerned line government offices, non-governmental organizations, donors, beneficiaries and local community structures. The following tables show summary of the above assessment in a summarized form.

HOPE 2020 – SWOT Analysis

 

 

 

 

Working Environment Analysis

The government of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia has adopted a rural based development strategic plan mainly to eradicate poverty and backwardness that have prevailed in the country for long years. Along with this, the government has cleared the road to democratization process of the country by recognizing the rights and equalities of nations and nationalities to self-determination, organizing free and fair elections and full respect of individual and people’s  ‘fundamental freedoms and rights which were the main hindrance to the socio-economic development of the country in the past.

HOPE 2020 believes that the multi sectoral development efforts that are being undertaken in the country creates an enabling environment in which NGO’s humanitarian and development ventures will further enhanced and consolidated.  The deepening economic crisis inherited from the previous governments, the recurrent natural and manmade calamities and the low level of technical know - how and human resources development will however continue to have an impeding impact development initiatives of the country.

The 1999 CSA report indicates that about 86.3 percent of the population lives in the rural areas and 13.7 percent reside in the urban centers. Subsistence agriculture is the mainstay of the economy; it accounts for 55 percent of GDP, creates 80 percent of employment and contributes 60 percent of exports (Assefa, Mammo and Wanna, 1997). When one looks into human development indicators (HDI), which take into account the quality of health and nutrition, income and productivity, education level and empowerment, “Ethiopia is at the lowest level of human development when compared to its neighbors and other developing countries” (UNDP, 1998).

According to international poverty line estimates, 46 percent of the Ethiopian population gets below $1.0 and 89 percent get below $2.0 a day (Habtamu, 1999). In such a context, access to health services, modern transportation, clean drinking water, education, & other services are beyond the reach of the majority of the population and this cannot be tackled by the efforts of the government alone. In view of this HOPE 2020 has reviewed the opportunities that enhance as well as the treats that are said to hinder the organization’s future success when developing this strategic plan.

 

Resource Mobilization 

The work of Non Governmental Organizations is by nature “unprofitable’’. Traditionally NGOs rely on the good will and generosity of others to cover the costs of their activities through grants and donations. Today NGOs find that such traditional funding sources are often insufficient to meet growing needs and rising costs. In addition, restrictions imposed on money grants, along with the uncertainty of these funds overtime, make it difficult for NGOs to do long term planning, improve their services or reach their full potential.

When the costs of NGO activities exceed the inflow of grants and donations, it is forced to either reduce the quality and/or the quantity of its work, or to find new sources of funds to cover the difference. Reaching out new donors with innovative fund-raising approaches is usually the first step. Redesigning program activities to include cost recovery components, where by the beneficiaries of NGO pay part of program costs, is a second approach. A third alternative is for the NGO to make money through income generating activities.

Financial resource is one of the fundamental stuffs to implement activities successfully and achieve the intended objectives. Hence, fund raising strategy is important to diversify the basis for financial sources. The fund raising effort must be collective, involving all parties (government bodies, international donors, NGOs, private sectors, individuals and communities) and making sure that they all honor their commitments. To diversify its funding source HOPE 2020 will follow the following strategy:

• Identifying potential financial partners including new sources of funding
• Follow financial partners funding policies, priorities, areas of interest and strategies
• Develop donors database to keep up-to-date with donor environment and trends
• Networks, liaises and build strong relationship with financial partners including community
• Develop funding proposals  and ensures the timely submission and in line with donor requirements
• Strengthen HOPE members contribution
• Engage in selective income generating activities

Target Groups 

The main geographic focus of HOPE 2020 is the rural communities where 85% of the country’s population lives. The specific target groups (population) will be:

Primary groups

• Children
• Mothers
• Destitute Youth
• Elderly

Secondary groups

• PLWHA
• Home based care givers
• School children
• Community

Advocacy Targets

• Religious and Community leaders
• Donors, NGOs, FBOs and CBOs
• Media

Stake Holders 

HOPE 2020 has firmly established itself in the surrounding community. It has also created strong work and objective links and networks with the following governmental, non-governmental and other donor organizations

 

Governmental

• Federal Food Security Disaster Prevention and Preparedness Commission
• Federal Ministry of Justice
• Oromia Food Security Disaster Prevention and Preparedness Commission
• Oromia Regional State
• Oromia Water Resources Development Bureau
• Oromia Women Affairs Bureau and line offices
• Oromia Agriculture Bureau and line offices
• Oromia Health Bureau and line offices
• Oromia Education Bureau and line offices
• Oromia Forest and Wildlife Protection Authority
• Oromia HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control Office
• South West Shoa Zone Water Resources Development Bureau
• Tole District Administration
• Sadden Sodo District Administration
• Weliso District Administration
• Jeldu District Administration
• Gidabarat District Administration
• Various rural kebeles

Local FBOs and Community Structures

• Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus
• Ethiopian Orthodox Church
• IDIRS
• Youth and Women Associations/Groups
• Anti Aids Clubs and Child Clubs
• PLWHA Associations

Social Service Organizations

• Ethiopian Electric Light and Power Corporation
• Ethiopian Telecommunications Authority
• Ethiopian Postal Service
• National Bank of Ethiopia
• Commercial Bank of Ethiopia
• Ethiopian Insurance Organization

Donor Organizations

• Water Aid Ethiopia
• Comitato Internazionale per lo Sviluppo dei Popoli /CISP-Ethiopia/
• Water Millennium Alliance /USAID/
• Chinese Embassy in Ethiopia
• District of Colombia University
• The Kuwait Fund
• The Royal Saudi Fund
• Oromia HAPCO
• Individuals
• Others

Beneficiaries

• 500,000 residents of Tole, Sadden Sodo, Weliso, Jeldu and Gindabarat Districts
• 15,000 OVC and 5,000 people living with HIV and AIDS in its intervention areas 
• 50,000 women, elderly and women and child headed households in its intervention areas
• Various IDIR Unions and Anti Aids Clubs and Child Clubs working in its operation areas

 Hope 2020 Philosophy and Values 

• Humanism
• Social Justice
• Non- discrimination
• Transparency
• Gender equality
• Environmental protection
• Participatory
• Self-reliance
• Right based approach
• Accountability and integrity
• Adherence to government policies and laws of the country
• Sustainability

Networking and Partnership

NGOs that have common vision & mission should establish good working relationships to be successful.  Currently, Hope 2020 has a good relation & collaboration with government bodies, donor organizations & community leaders. This has proved to be very useful particularly in area targeting for water scheme to develop sense of ownership, to make the project participatory etc. Good relationships with communities & associations at grass root level provides an opportunity to mobilize resources in-kind (Labor & materials) for the project implementation and an involvement of beneficiaries   in the planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the projects. This would further strengthen the sustainability of the project activities.

 

Monitoring and Evaluation 

Monitoring activity includes measuring the physical performances, budgetary utilization, quality and quantity of work done, correlation of the work done with the set objectives and the set plans and timetables. Activity reports, field visits, follow up formats, minutes; regular stakeholders meetings are among the monitoring systems that will be used to assess the progress of the programs. At the end of each year, evaluation will also be undertaken by HOPE 2020 monitoring and evaluation team and when necessary by consultants to measure the impact of the programs. The indicators stated in the logical framework matrix of this document will help the monitoring and evaluation activities to be more efficient and systematic.

 

Documentation and Dissemination 

In order to assess its progress, challenges and identify its future directions, the organization document and disseminate its best practices and achievements in:

• Websites
• Photographs, Audio and Video cassettes
• Baseline and evaluation reports
• Workshops, conferences and minutes
• Publications
• Stories, articles and films
• Activity reports