In late 2022, the Devxchange team travelled to the capital of Addis Ababa to speak with the UN about The Mushroom Project, one of Devxchange’s main projects in Ethiopia alongside the Forestry for Life Project.
Read on to learn more about the trip and the influential seeds we have sown to help The Mushroom Project continue thriving.
What is The Mushroom Project?
The Mushroom Project is located in Sululta, Ethiopia, just an hour north of the capital. The goal of the project is to alleviate poverty in the community by creating mushroom farming jobs in Ethiopia.
In October 2020, farmers across Ethiopia faced one of the worst locust outbreaks in decades. The locusts destroyed crops across the country that were a source of food and income to 20 million people.
In 2021, Devxchange focused on helping individual farmers recover from the locust plague and access the training and supplies needed to start their mushroom farming businesses.
With funding in question, Devxchange leveraged its global network and reached out to foundations for support. As our team sought out donations and partnerships, we were delighted to get in touch with the UN and begin a new chapter with the project.
Meeting with Project Leader Fedaku
In the early hours of the morning, the Devxchange team landed in Addis Ababa. As they settled in at the Pacific Hotel, our Team Lead, Melody, went to the lobby’s restaurant, where Fedaku was waiting.
Fekadu is an invaluable liaison who helped spearhead The Mushroom Project. An Ethiopian local and father of two, he felt the impact of 2021’s locust plague on his family and community. In response, he developed a plan based on the successful strategies of one of our larger Devxchange projects, Forestry For Life.
The Devxchange team visits the UN in Ethiopia
After lunch, the team headed over to the UN’s Small Grants Program Office. They were incredibly excited to be granted time with the UN and exchange ideas.
Devxchange had been working with the UN for over a year to receive support. The UN were highly supportive of the project, lauding its innovative foresight and potential to exponentially benefit the local community. As part of the UN’s stipulations, the team was asked to produce a new blueprint with additional accommodations the UN felt were needed in the mushroom production facility – but funding came into question.
Thankfully, through our partners at Devxchange’s Forestry For Life Project, we were able to secure a loan. Now that the required funding has been secured, the blueprint allows the Mushroom Project access to money that will help continue changing lives and achieving our 2023 goals.
The Mushroom Project’s goals for 2023
- The building of a mushroom production facility
- Supporting local farmers with farming opportunities
- Supporting three children who fled the war in the north, and now live with Fekadu
- Support Fekadu in operating the project
Visiting the mushroom house
Upon leaving the UN office, the team headed out of Addis Ababa to Fekadu’s home. They left the gridlock of the downtown area and ventured north to the humble town of Sululta.
Melody, one of the main points of contact for The Mushroom Project, shares her personal story:
“[Upon arriving], we started down a small dirt path that looked very much like an alleyway with both sides having a long metal fence. There are many gates down this alleyway. We parked and a gate opened with some very familiar faces that I had seen.
They were the children of Fekadu and his wife and his wife’s mom! They were so excited to meet us and we hugged so many times because this is our first time meeting after working together for two full years solely through the internet.”
They were also able to see the mushroom house, situated by Fedaku’s home.
Sprouting success through community
Thanks to generous donors, our fruitful partnership with our friends at Forestry For Life, our contacts at the UN, and local heroes like Fedaku, we were able to secure funds, start building a larger production facility to house 100 full time jobs, and continue cultivating our ever-growing Devxchange community.
Want to be a part of the solution? Visit their campaign page to learn more about how you can help.