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“MANBARNOOTAAF”
“FOR SCHOOLS” PROJECT
General Project Background

“Manbarnootaaf” is an Oromo word in Ethiopia for
the phrase “For schools”.
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It is an initiative established in Sept 2008 by
interested members and partners/collaborators of
JU, who are playing active roles in the
implementation of the VLIR-UOS Institutional
University Cooperation programme of Jimma
University.


The idea was to start collecting assistance for these schools
from the primary schools & school children in Flanders
(Belgium) and also raise funds through various means so as
to establish sort of a bilateral initiative, project or
organization that will coordinate, manage and implement
jointly planned activities and support schemes to the
selected schools.
Owing to the fact that the schools in Flanders would have
crucial roles in helping their counterpart schools in the
Gilgel Gibe area, the initiative was called ‘Manbarnoowwan
manbarnootaaf’, which meant ‘Schools for Schools’ in the
Afan Oromoo language.

Later on, it was called ‘Manbarnootaaf’ (‘For schools’) for short.
Project Objectives:

Overall objective:


To improve the status of local schools, with emphasis on addressing
the critical problems and challenges faced by rural primary schools in
the Gilgel Gibe catchment
Specific objectives

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Raise funds for supporting local schools in Jimma zone in general
and Gilgel Gibe in particular
Provide material support to schools under the project
Provide trainings and capacity building schemes to the school
teachers in the project schools
Develop techniques for producing and usage of locally produced
teaching aids
Facilitate cultural exchange among schools in Jimma and their
counterparts in Flanders, Belgium
Project management team

Overall coordinator:

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Local management team:
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Delenasaw Yewhalaw, Kefelegn Getahun, Zeleke Mekonnen, Sultan
Suleman, Gezahegn Berecha, Endalkachew Kissi, Amsalu Nebiyu,
Molalegen, Mihireteab,
Project members (north):


Gashahun
Project members (south):


Jemal Abafita, Yehenew Getachew and Kasahun Ebba
Project facilitator:


Prof Luc Duchateau (North) and Mr Kora Tushune (South)
Bart Ampe, Rudy Gevaert, Shiama Gosh, Paul Janssen, Marc Theolen,
Jozef Vercruysse,
Other volunteers:

Zeina Chemalli (USA), Henderson (USA)
Sources of funds and material support
School-to-school partnership among the local and
Flemish primary schools
 Fund raising activities
 Voluntary professional contribution by members
and supporters
 Voluntary financial contributions and donations by
members and supporters
 Donations of materials by members and supporters

Resource mobilization activities

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Liaise with local sector offices and stakeholder in planning
and implementing of the project activities (provision of
material support, construction of water wells, toilets and
classrooms, etc)
Organize various fundraising activities in North and also in
south using a number of strategies
Publicize about the project through website
Gather materials (books, teaching aids, stationary, clothes,
etc) from volunteers from abroad (mainly from Belgium) and
ship them to Jimma through volunteers
Mobilize local community contribution (labor and material
support) for implementation of project activities
Mobilize volunteer services from members and supporters
willing to contribute to the realization of the cause
Project Activities
Activity I:
Procurement and disbursement of school support materials
(blackboards, desks, stationary materials, teaching materials,
etc)
Activity II:
Construction and/or maintenance of facilities (water wells,
toilets, classroom floors, i.e., upgrading from dust to
concrete floors)
Activity III:
Construction of classrooms
Activity IV:
Introducing innovative and affordable techniques/skills for
production teaching aids from locally available materials
Activity V:
Organize capacity building trainings to school teachers
Activity VI:
Facilitate cultural exchange and school-to-school
partnerships/links among primary schools in
Flanders and the local schools in the project area
Activity VII:
Providing material support to students, with
particular emphasis on those who are the most
needy in terms of getting support like clothing,
exercise books, pens, etc.
Activity VIII:
Organize various fund-raising and resource
mobilization activities in North and south