Emergency Relief for Amhara Refugees from Wellega
Tax deductible
For over 15 years Dir Biyabir , a registered 501 (c)(3), has been funding grass-roots environmental, educational, and economic empowerment projects in Northern Shewa, working with our local partner Adheno , a charity registered in Ethiopia and licensed to work in the Northern Shewa region since 2003.
Though we are not focused on emergency relief, the recent tragic situation in Ethiopia has required us to fund emergency relief efforts. In March/April of 2021, we raised funds to provide relief for victims of OLF-Shene targeted terror attacks against Amhara civilians living in and around the town of Ataye. In November/December 2021, we raised emergency funds for Afar civilians attacked by TPLF terrorists. Now In February 2022 we find ourselves facing yet another tragedy with Amhara civilians from Wellega and Western Shewa fleeing endless terror attacks by OLF-Shene simply because of their Amhara identity. Over 30,000 of the internally displaced people (IDP) are currently in N.Shewa, of these about 9,000 are settled in the town of Debre Birhan.
On February 7 2022, our local partner Adheno met with the Planning Commission of the Office of the Mayor of Debre Birhan to gather data on the IDPs. They were informed that a significant number of IDPs are staying in two non-operational factories in Kebele 07 & 08. The remaining IDPs are sheltered in public halls located in Kebele 03 & 04. The Adheno team visited the displaced folks at these locations to assess their condition and to ask them firsthand about their key unmet needs.
The situation and the unmet key needs as related to Adheno are summarized below. The purpose of this fundraiser is to meet these key needs.
Key points on the fundraiser
- The fundraiser will close on March 5, given the emergency, we would really appreciate if you could send in your donation as soon as you can.
- We guarantee that 100% of all donations (and match) received from this fundraiser will be sent to Adheno specifically for this emergency relief in Debre Birhan.
- 100% of your donation is tax-deductible in the US as Dir Biyabir is a registered non-profit. GoFundMe will be emailing you a tax receipt
- If you work for a company that has an employee match program we urge you to request a match for your donation by submitting the GoFundMe receipt. If you do request a match please do so as early as possible since the process of releasing the matching funds can take up to 2 months.
- For larger donations, we encourage you to send a check to us to avoid fees. Please mail your check payable to “Dir Biyabir” to Dir Biyabir P O Box 914, Mountain View, CA 94042. We will issue you a tax receipt.
- Dir Biyabir will donate an additional $5,000 from it’s own coffers.
We kindly request your support for this urgent appeal, and we thank you in advance for your generosity. We will post updates as we receive them.
Please pray for the survivors. Many Blessings to you and your loved ones.
The Dir Biyabir Team
Situation
- Ethnic Amhara civilians have been displaced from five districts of East Wellega and seven Kebeles of Danu district of West Shewa Zone by the OLF-Shene Terrorist group.
- Over 30,000 of the internally displaced people (IDP) are currently in N.Shewa, of these about 9,000 are settled in the town of Debre Birhan.
- The IDP have been sheltered in two non-operational factories in Kebele 07 & 08. The remaining IDPs are sheltered in public halls located in Kebele 03 & 04.
- Residents of Debre Birhan have been providing as much food as they can afford, as well as clothes and other items
- Debre Birhan University has provided mattresses
- UNHCR has provided some blankets and cooking pots but no food
- The support from the local government has been limited to finding spaces for the IDP to settle in
- There has been no support of any kind from the federal government
Key Needs
Short-Term
The immediate unmet need as expressed by the IDP themselves is food. They repeatedly and urgently requested teff flour to make their staple injera. Some shiro (chick-pea powder) would also give them protein to go with the injera. They also do not have enough blankets and mattresses. At well over 9,000 feet above sea level, Debre Birhan is the highest town of it’s size in Africa and is well known for it’s cold weather.
The initial focus of this fundraiser will be in providing for the immediate needs of the IDP as expressed by themselves, i.e food. Specifically the plan is to purchase and provide teff flour and shiro. Depending on the amount of funds raised we may also be able to purchase mattresses and blankets.
Long Term
When asked by Adheno about their long-term desire, the IDP surprisingly stated their great desire to return to their homes and farm and support themselves if the government is able to ensure their safety. Given the horrific crimes they have repeatedly been subjected to, this is a testament to their incredible resilience.
Please pray for Ethiopia and these tragically abused people, and let’s support them to the best of our abilities during their darkest hour.
Organizer
Dir Biyabir
Organizer
Sunnyvale, CA
Dir Biyabir
Registered nonprofit
Donations are typically 100% tax deductible in the US.
