1. Background Introduction

1.1 The Irob Development Association

IDA stands for the abbreviation of Irob Development Association. It is a non-governmental, non-political and non-profit making association established to help the rehabilitation and sustainable development of the Irob ethnic minority in Northern Ethiopia - eastern zone of Tigray. It was officially established with the approval of the Tigray Regional Government of Ethiopia in August 2003 in Mekelle, the capital of Tigray. It is an initiative taken by Irob citizens in Mekelle city after realizing the severe deterioration of livelihood of the Irob people at home in the countryside followed by the devastating Ethio-Eritrean war and harsh environmental degradation challenging their agriculture-led livelihood. The association is established with ambitious plan of embarking on various interventions. However, due to lack of capacity, it could not aggressively realize its ambitions. Therefore, the Irob Scholarship and Educational Support Program (ISESP) in line with the dream of the association through its long-term impact in Irob society, is a revitalizing in addition to it.

1.2 Irob Scholarship and Educational Support Program (ISESP)

The Scholarship and Educational support program is officially launched in March 2012 and running under the directives and legal authorization of IDA (Irob Development Association). It has its locally administering voluntary committee, its operational guidelines (both administrative & financial) approved and monitored by IDA, working plans and fund-raising strategy. This program is specially tailored to address and support the Irob Educational sector which is in a very poor performance and therefore of failing the generation continually. Despite being only months old, the program has earned tremendous appreciation and support both from people at home and abroad which is really an evidence of its importance.
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