I. Health Center Program
Background:
The health center of Yuub is not meeting the needs of the estimated 30,000 residents. This town used to be a small settlement a few decades ago. It is located in Southeast of Ethiopia in semi-dry pastural land. It is a grazeland for large numbers of camels, cattle, and goats. Most residents or their forefathers were nomads or semi-nomads. Some of them still have animals that they care for themselves or are cared for by other family members. During the rainy season, few people engage in farming. The traders of the town serve either the herders of the area or travelers that pass through it.
The causes for these unsatisfactory healthcare conditions are manifold:
- Scarce wealth and resources
- Lack of enough trained staff
- Politics (that impact marginalized communities and peoples)
- Wars, insecurity, etc.
H.E.R.D.S. is an NGO based in the US, but will operate in Horn Africa. It plans to upgrade the existing section of the health center of Yuub, and create the missing departments of Surgery, Radiology, Emergency, etc., that are critically needed.
The Goals are:
- To increase access to healthcare of the population,
- To improve the quality of health service,
- And to broaden the scope of care and service.
The Objectives of the Program In 2025-2026 (Phase One)
It is to develop a plan that upgrades Yuub healthcare center to hospital level within 2 years. That would meet the needs and challenges that exist in the town and surrounding region. It will positively impact the health and wellness of the community.
Activities:
- Secure permission to operate in the country.
- Establish E.R.D.S. representative office in the region.
- Construct the departments of Diagnostic (radiology and laboratory), Surgery, Gyn/Obstetrics, Paediatrics, and Emergency Sections.
- Improve Outpatient Services and increase its visits to, at least, 3-5 fold of the present number.
- Expand the Inpatient Section of children, female and male patients 10x each. Currently, the center has only 8 beds.
On the Organizational side, H.E.R.D.S. will recruit volunteers; add new Board members; and find mentors to help grow the organization. Website, organizational budget, accounting system, and monitoring mechanisms, if they are not already in place, should be established.
In order to accomplish all the objectives of the programs, the necessary revenue must be secured.
This phase one (construction, procurement of materials, etc.) will last 4-6 months.
Phase Two:
- Equipping the different departments of Surgery (Anaesthesiology), Radiology (X-Ray, Ultrasound), Emergency, Gyn/Obs, etc.
- Applying for staff (Doctors, Nurses, Technicians, etc.) from the local and national authorities.
- Help train the staff that need training.
- Supplement their government salaries to improve their livelihood.
- Inform/educate the community about health issues, and encourage it to get involved, and participate in the endeavor.
II. After-School Program
Background:
Yuub has one elementary and middle school combined in one location and a separate secondary school. Currently, 162 students are enrolled in these schools. However, this number is low due to several factors:
- Many youth work as herders for their families’ camels, cattle, and goats.
- Some families still do not see education as a priority and hesitate to send their children to school for long years.
- Traditionally, girls were not educated, but currently, the number of girls in school exceeds that of boys.
Goals:
- Achieve high proficiency in English (reading, listening, writing, speaking, and comprehension), math, and science.
- Help students develop skills and the ability to choose future careers.
- Prepare students for college-level entry courses.
Objectives:
- Secure financial resources for buildings, playfield, teachers, and a program coordinator.
- Provide technical resources to enable the use of online learning tools.
- Increase student enrollment by at least five times within three years.
- Enhance academic performance, ensuring that at least 60% of students improve within four years.
- Identify talented students and support them with extra tutoring and counseling.
- Reduce the dropout rate by 80% in four years.
- Combat delinquency through counseling for youth and their families.
- Inform, educate and discourage the youth about the dangers of emigration that can result in drowning in the seas.
Why Have We Established H.E.R.D.S.
(Health Education Relief Development Service)
Three Reasons:
- There is a pressing need that requires immediate attention.
- The community has kept asking for help.
- And lastly, we want to give back.
Background:
Yuub is a town in Southeast Ethiopia with 30,000 residents that did not have healthcare and schools for a long time. This situation is not unique to Yuub; many towns and settlements in the rural areas of the country lack these services, although some are in a slightly better state due to various circumstances.
It was only a few years ago that Yuub got a school—donated by an individual originally from the town. Later, the government built the health center. However, both the school and the health center lack the proper resources to function properly. They do not meet the pressing needs of the local population, and thus, the cry for help remains.
Our Response:
Some individuals in the U.S. who have families & ancestral ties to the area have decided to organize & act. The result was the establishment of H.E.R.D.S.
H.E.R.D.S. was established in September 2024. There are currently no organizations (local or international) operating in the area. H.E.R.D.S. is working to fill this gap by:
- Helping to create a healthcare system that improves the quality of life for the communities in the region.
- Supporting the school so that it can give its students a fair chance at achieving a livelihood of independence and fostering future growth among the youth.
