Addis Ababa – More than 500 pupils attend Bilisuma primary school in Gursum District in Ethiopia’s Oromia Regional State, despite there being, until recently, no school to attend. The schoolhouses had been lying in ruins ever since intercommunal violence swept through the region two years ago.  

This meant many of the children from both Oromo and Somali communities who used to attend its classes here were unable to do so. Most classrooms had been destroyed or rendered completely unusable.  

Until now. This past weekend (12/12), the International Organization for Migration (IOM) handed the school over to the government and the community, after the Organization had helped with its reconstruction. “Even before the damage, we were barely retaining the school. The facility was in a bad condition,” recalled Bahir Ahmednur, the school principal. “We were trying to keep the school functioning by using makeshift mud sheds. But they wouldn’t last more than a month. Students did not have proper seats and they had to share books as most families cannot afford to buy them.” 

Added Susi Faleda, one of the 550 students now enrolled in school: “We were sitting on the rocks as benches were not available in the school. The roof sheds and parts of the walls also were gone. The classroom provided no shelter from the sun and rain.”  

This facility, and several others, are being constructed to be shared by the two ethnic groups previously at odds. Now they will promote social cohesion and solidarity.  

Three out of four blocks of Bilisuma School were constructed by IOM and a fourth block was initiated by the community (composed of Oromo and Somali members), complementing the project and showing the impact of the community initiative. The construction of these schools is significant, as it is the outcome of the peacebuilding initiative. 

IOM is jointly implementing the project: “Inclusive Governance and Conflict Management Support for Ethiopia” along with UNDP and UN Women. The total budget for the project is USD 2.8 million, out of which USD 1.3 million was allocated to IOM (including operational costs). The construction budget for Bilisuma was approximately Birr 590,500 (USD 15,000).   

Part of the programme within Oromia Regional State includes the support to Babile and Gursum Districts education offices, the provision of 540 student desks and 26 blackboards, and the renovation of Dorobsa and Bilisuma schools. The school support will benefit more than 900 students going to these schools from Oromia and Somali Regions. 

Also, part of IOM’s support in the region includes the renovation of Babile and Gursum Districts’ Health Office and the installation of two solar lights on Lekole Health Post.  

The support within the Somali Regional State focused on Fafan and Siti Zones’ Conflict Early Warning and Response (CEWAR) facilities for security and administrative offices, within Somali Region’s side of Babile, Gursum, Erer and Meiso. Construction support to medical counselling rooms and latrines in Babile District and the continued support of the Iresa’s 2nd Generation Health Posts (an Ethiopian Government-led initiative which incorporates major renovation and expansion of health posts) are also underway.  

Additional support also includes an installation of four solar lights and fence work in the health post in Magala’ad, Erer and Babile Districts. The health posts will provide service to more than 27,000 people within the two regions.  

Under the Oromia-Somali cluster, the Peace Building Fund (PBF) has also organized community dialogues, capacity-building training on Conflict Early Warning and Response and conflict management for security and administrative experts, as well as various workshops and the establishment of the inter and intra-district taskforce in both Oromia and Somali regional states prior to the constructions.  

In recognition of its efforts, the Gursum District gave a certificate of appreciation to IOM during the handover ceremony. The organization is implementing this programme with the financial support from the United Nations Peace-building Support Office (PBSO). The two regions which the programme covers are the bordering Oromia and Somali Regional States of Ethiopia. 

Background of the UN Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) 

The UN Secretary-General’s Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) is the organization’s financial instrument of first resort to sustain peace in countries or situations at risk or affected by violent conflict. The PBF may invest with UN entities, governments, regional organizations, multilateral banks, national multi-donor trust funds or civil society organizations. From 2006 to 2017, the PBF has allocated USD 772 million to 41 recipient countries. Since inception, 58 member states contributed to the Fund, 33 in the present 2017-2019 Investment Plan. The Fund works across pillars and supports integrated UN responses to fill critical gaps; respond quickly and with flexibility to peacebuilding opportunities; and catalyze processes and resources in a risk-tolerant fashion. 

For more information, please contact IOM Ethiopia: Alemayehu Seifeselassie, Email: salemayehu@iom.int or Rahel Negussie, Mobile: +25111341959, Email: rnegussie@iom.int