Selected Past Grants

Training of Operation Theatre Nurses (Somaliland)

In 2012, there were only 12 Operation Theatre nurses in the whole of Somaliland. Through three consecutive grants made available to Somaliland’s Nursing and Midwifery Association (SLNMA) since 2013, The Pharo Foundation supported the training of 109 additional OT nurses and improved regional distribution of professionals. The partnership enabled the deployment of trained nurses in operations theatres of the seven regional hospitals of the country.

Moreover, the preparation and endorsement of the Operation Theatre Nurse’s Higher Diploma Programme and Standard Operation Procedure manual funded by the Foundation have been instrumental in sustaining and scaling up the gains.  The implementation procedures in the hospitals demonstrated that it is feasible to change old practices of patient care to recommended standards and harmonize the standards of practice.

 Sustainable Livelihoods for Women (Ofla, Ethiopia)

The aim of the project was to support 1,700 women to develop new sources of income through a package of support including business skills training, provision of livestock and access to credit and saving facilities. Action Aid in the Ofla district of the Tigray region-Ethiopia implemented the project from April 2012-December 2015.

A sheep and goat-rearing scheme was a key activity of the project, creating a sustainable means for their household incomes. The women were trained in animal rearing and management before they were helped to purchase livestock.

Although a number of challenges had to be overcome, the sheep and goat-breading scheme has been successful. In each year of the project, women have passed on offspring to a second generation of participants. In order to encourage women to diversify their income beyond animal rearing, participants were given the skills and knowledge to develop alternative sources of income, set up small businesses, and establish cooperatives.  The establishment of cooperatives by the participants attracted more women and by the end of the project period a total number of members reached was 5,107.

Promoting Quality Education in Primary and Secondary Schools (Kombolcha, Ethiopia)

This was one of the Foundation’s first education projects implemented by Action Aid Ethiopia 2012-2016. The overall goal of the project was to improve access to education in Kombolcha district, in the Oromia region of Ethiopia. It specifically aimed at increasing enrollment and reducing dropout rates, particularly for girls, in four primary schools, one high school and two access centres. The project benefited over 15,000 students in the targeted schools, through improved school infrastructure and establishing extra-curricular activities as well as enhanced school management and community engagement.

Education and Leadership Development for Conflict Affected Communities

The aim of this grant was to provide scholarship opportunities for deserving individuals from conflict affected communities in East and Horn of Africa to study in various universities of the UK. The project was implemented in partnership with Windle Trust International (WTI) for five years from 2012 to 2017.

The project has been so successful in providing invaluable higher education opportunities for fifty-three refugees selected from South Sudan, Uganda, Eritrea, Democratic Republic of Congo and Somalia.   Students successfully completed their studies in fifteen selected universities of UK and returned to their countries and engaged in various development work . Thirty-eight of the scholars were females.  You can find the summary report here.