Frequently Asked Questions:
Ambassador’s Special Self-Help Program

What is Self-Help? Self-Help is a special program of the U.S. Ambassador to Ethiopia.  Self-Help gives U.S. Embassy support to communities, villages, neighborhoods and groups that are doing something to help themselves. Most often, the projects are implemented by locally-registered NGOs, community- and faith-based groups, and civic associations that apply for funding on behalf of local beneficiaries. 

Fine, my community is working very hard. Can we have some money? Maybe. Self-Help funds are given for specific projects. The money must be used to build or purchase something without which the project wouldn't get started or can't be completed. If you have a plan, labor and funds for a specific project, but need some supplementary help, the U.S. Embassy may be able to help you.

The women in my community make injera but are very short of teff. Will you buy some for them? No. Self-Help funds cannot be used to buy the things you use every day such as teff for injera, paper for a school, or fertilizer for a farm. Self-Help funds must be used for things that will last and things that are needed to get a project started or completed.

Can you give me examples of projects you will assist? Sure. Perhaps you are building a school and already have timber, hollow concrete blocks, cement and enough birr to buy books and paper. You need desks, chairs and roofing sheets. We might be able to give you the funds to buy tools to make the furniture or buy roofing sheets. Maybe your village is constructing a hand-dug well. The people have agreed to dig the well but need cement to line it. We might be able to help with the cement.

Can you give me examples of projects you will NOT assist? Yes. We already mentioned not being able to provide items that are consumed, including food, paper or fertilizer. We also cannot be involved in a project that is being financed by the Government of Ethiopia, but we are willing to support locally-organized projects that may be sponsored in part by government organizations. Self-Help funds cannot be used for administration, salaries, sports equipment, computers and other office equipment, vehicles, training or transportation costs.  We also cannot support religious, military or police activities.

So, the community has to do a lot of the work itself? Exactly. The Self-Help program will try to get you a few things you can't otherwise get, but you have to do a significant amount of the work, and you have to get as many things as you can.

The community has always wanted a bridge for the creek. Can you help? Perhaps. But the village will have to decide what it will do for itself. The U.S. Embassy will help you help yourself but will not do the project for you. If the village wants the bridge enough to contribute a significant amount of what is needed to build it, the U.S. Embassy will be happy to talk with you about helping with the things you can't get.

How much money will you give us? That depends on how much it costs to implement your project, but Self-Help grants are generally between 8,000 and 10,000 USD.

What do we do first? Talk to the people. Find out what they will contribute. Some people may have money, others may have a bag or two of cement, and others may have timber or planks. Others may be willing to donate their labor. If you are an NGO, community- or faith-based organization, or civic association applying for funds on the community’s behalf, you will need a letter from the community verifying its support and detailing its contribution.

We talked to the people in our community. Everyone really wants the bridge but we have no way of getting reinforcing rods. Can you help us now? Now is the time for you to fill out the U.S. Embassy application for Self-Help funds. Answer each question as carefully and as fully as you can. Tell us why you need the project, what the community will contribute, what is the plan, who is the organizer, and what you want the U.S. Embassy to give you. When finished, mail, fax or email the application to the U.S. Embassy. Each year, applications are accepted until March 31 for projects that will be supported during the following U.S. fiscal year, which begins October 1 and ends September 30. 

What will you do with the application? The U.S. Embassy will consider your application along with those submitted by other projects across Ethiopia. Because the amount of Self-Help funds is limited, only the best projects – those that will benefit people most, involve substantial community contributions, and have the best chance of success – will be selected.

We got a letter from the U.S. Ambassador. She said our request for reinforcing rods is approved. What do we do now? The person in charge of your project should come to the Embassy in Addis Ababa. Your representative and the Ambassador will sign an agreement that states exactly what the U.S. Embassy will give your project and how the money must be used.

We have the rods. Can we start work?  By all means, get started as soon as possible. Be sure to use the rods only for the bridge. If there are any materials left over, you must tell us. If you use things provided by the U.S. Embassy for any purpose other than the one stated in the agreement signed with the Embassy, you risk having to repay the funds. From time to time, a representative of the U.S. Embassy will stop by to see how the project is going.

The bridge is finished, the community is having an inaugural ceremony, and we’d like someone from the U.S. Embassy to come.  We would be delighted to attend so please let us know when the ceremony will be.

Thank you for your interest in the Ambassador's Special Self-Help Program.