The Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus Western Wollega  Bethel Synod (WWBS)

View the full development report of 2005 in pdf

Background

WWBS is the first Presbyterian Church in Ethiopia dated back to the evangelical and medical work started by Presbyterian missionaries in 1919 in Dembi Dollo. In 1974 WWBS joined EECMY.

Operational area and Structure

Operational area of WWBS includes nine districts (woredas) in the south western part of West Wollega zone with a population of approximately 1 million inhabitants. It is structured into 14 presbyteries (districts) with 273 congregations and 95 preaching places, with 251,438 members, 95 pastors + 16 pensioners and 83 evangelists.

Schools in Dembi Dolo and their funding

Berhane Yesus School (BYS) provides elementary education for students in grades 1-8 and Bethel Evangelical Secondary School (BESS) provides secondary education for grades 9-12, in addition to a new non-formal vocational training program in wood and metal work supervised by Mr. and Mrs. Mazylis from German Overseas Service (EED).

Approximately 75% of the budget is funded by the Presbyterian Church USA and the Ethiopian Education Endowment Fund and Gidada Bible School.  The remaining 15% comes from the tuition and income-generating activities at BESS. 

Hostels at Dembi Dolo and Haro Sebu

The objective of the Hostels is to support the foster children under the motto of wholistic service, so as to make them self-supportive while nurturing them academically, spiritually, socially and physically. In 2005, the Hostel has been supporting 93 foster children.  95% of the income omes from the German orphans mission organization, Kinder Nothilfe (KNH) and the rest coming from self-generated income at the hostel, a small coffee plantation, sale of wood from Eucalyptus trees in the compound as well as the sale of meals from the hostel kitchen. 

Tullu Goppo Clinic

Tullu Goppo clinic has been in operation since 1997, providing a broad range of health care services to large, spread-out surrounding rural population.  Nearly all of the funding for the operation of the clinic has come from International Health Ministries Grants from the Presbyterian Church (USA), with a small amount of income from the sale of medicine at the clinic. The principal problem this year, as in past years, is a lack of staffing of the clinic.  Neither a doctor nor a nurse staff the clinic, requiring the Heath Assistant to serve to their ability in these capacities. Funding for at least a nurse to the clinic needs to be secured. 

HI AIDS Prevention and Control Program

The HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control Program implements programs and measures to provide awareness and education on HIV/AIDS, as well as providing support and services to People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) and AIDS orphans.  Funding to the HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control Program comes from a number of different sources, including the Presbyterian Church (USA), the Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus, the Ethiopian Inter Faith and Development Association, Christian Aid, Berliner Missionswerk, and Christian Aid. 

Dale Wabera Integrated Rural Development Project

The Dale Wabera Integrated Rural Development project (DWIRDP) was initiated by the Western Wollega Bethel Synod on the request of the community and local government in 1995. Bread for the World (BftW) Germany, is the funding agency of the project.

Lalo Kile Integrated Rural Development Project

The Lalo Kile Integrated Rural Development project (LKIRDP) was initiated by the Western Wollega Bethel Synod on the request of the community and local government with a baseline study in 2001, and project commencement in 2003.  Bread for the world (BftW), Germany funded the pilot phase of this project, from 2003-2004.  In August 2004, the Church Development Service of the Protestant Churches in Germany (EED) took over the responsibility as the primary donor of the project.