Ethiopian group to share know-how with Buffalo
By Tabisa Mntengwana
24 October 2008
AN Ethiopian delegation will be in town for four days with the hope of forming a sister city partnership with Buffalo City Municipality.
The visitors, from the city of Hawassa, will also identify development challenges and create a catalytic effect on development efforts.
“This is an opportunity for both cities to learn and share experiences from each other,” said Darby Gounden, the municipal manager for development co-operation.
A number of activities have been lined up for the visitors, beginning on 28 October. They will attend a land administration presentation and housing workshop, among other events.
“These activities are set for the visitors to get to know Buffalo City better and identify which areas they [are] interested in,” she said.
According to a press release, the delegation is expected to asses the challenges affecting development in urban areas and identify possible areas for learning and linking between the two cities.
The study visit is part of the Intervolve initiative to get a network of partners to form the Hawassa City GO-NGO Forum, which will look at integrated development between the cities that are involved.
Intervolve's initiative is considered unique in Ethiopia and South Africa as no other NGO does a similar project.
Intervolve is a Dutch NGO, based in Amsterdam. It has representatives in Buffalo City, Hawassa and Douala, Cameroon. It sets up programmes aimed at improving the socio-economic circumstances and living environment of residents in urban areas of developing countries.
The aim is to achieve sustainable improvements by supplying the knowledge, expertise and resources required to match the willpower and ambition of the local people.
It has initiated several projects in Buffalo City. In 1997, it launched the High Return Housing Project. This led to the establishment of the Haven Hills residential area and the foundation of the Own Haven Housing Association, which manages the rented housing.
In 2005, it joined forces with Dutch and South African partners to launch the redevelopment of Duncan Village. A year earlier, in 2004, a project was launched in Hawassa.
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