Madam, - Permit me to use your paper to thank the taxpayers of Ireland for helping to establish the Furra Institute of Development studies in Sidaama, Ethiopia.
We set out with a clear vision: to provide high quality participatory short-term training and formal higher education at a reasonable charge in an institution which is self-financing, and not dependent on donors or local government for operating costs.
Nearly 12 years since our establishment we now have over 2,000 students on two campuses and 600 at kindergarten and primary level. To date 6,300 have trained in different fields in our short-term division, 1,000 have reached certificate level and 1,160 have taken diplomas in various disciplines.
We employ 150 academic, support and administrative staff and we plan to upgrade diploma programmes to degree level and to establish a Furra University College in the regional capital, Hawassa.
This would have not possible without the support from Ireland Aid and its officials. I would particularly like to mention Joe Feeny, who was a pioneer in understanding the need for self financing institutions as part of the response to the development challenges we faced here in Ethiopia. So, as Ireland works to address its budgetary concerns in the months ahead, rest assured that the funds Irish people spent here in Sidaama continue to improve on the lives of so many people, years after Irish Aid left the area. - Yours, etc,
GEREMEW GARJE,
Director, Furra Institute/
Furra College,
Sidaama,
Ethiopia.