2011

My Volunteer Journey
A reflection

Geoffrey Kibet Rotich

VSO
2/8/2011
What is written here are my own views and NOT of VSO or SEPDA… Geoffrey Kibet Rotich-VSO.

Blue Nile falls – Ethiopia.

I came to Ethiopia in September 2009 for a two year volunteering placement with Volunteer Service
Overseas. I was assigned as a Monitoring and Evaluation
Advisor in South Ethiopia Development Association/SEPDA
a local NGO. The interesting job role which I like talking
about is the contribution I made in Resource
Mobilization. Writing proposals initially never occurred to
me as a profession in itself thanks for the volunteering
placement. The following section describes the successful
proposals that I secured.

call for proposals from the EC usually comes

with Guidelines which requires, according to my
personal opinion, a lot of reading and attention
to detail.

The CfPs can either be 1) Restricted i.e.

European Commission Ref:
EuropeAid/129220/L/ACT/ET – Civil Society
Fund in Ethiopia. This Fund was meant to build
capacities of non-state state actors in areas of
partnerships, networking and participation. The
requiring concept notes first or 2) Open i.e.
requiring both concept notes and full proposals
to be submitted. Under the Civil Society Fund I
wrote two open calls and secured 100,000
Euros for SEPDA and 150,000 Euros for
Resource Center for Civil Groups another local
NGO. I also registered the organizations in
PADOR- a requirement of EC Financing. Working

2|P a ge
in collaboration with the coordination office of
CSF in Addis Ababa especially in development of
log-frames and budgets gave me more
knowledge and skills in EC procedures. Similarly
I submitted a concept to European Commission
in Belgium in response to a restricted CfP for
Eradication of Child Labor. Though I didn’t
achieved the minimum score required so as to
proceed to writing the full proposal I realized
how strict the EC evaluation committee in
enforcing the proposal guidelines. The EC CfPs
were an eye opener in my resource
mobilization/ proposal development efforts. I
got motivated and I started searching for other
CfPs on newsprints and the internet as well as
from verbal inquiries. I became like this bird
here waiting for fish in Lake Hawassa- Ethiopia
where I used to spend most of my weekends
along its banks and seeing sun sets. The waiting
didn’t last longer. USAID principal contractors
started floating their CfPs.
Save the Children-USA.
This major donor initiated a highly feasible
program entitled TransACTION Program that
design and implements prevention, care and
support interventions on HIV & AIDS along
major transport corridors in Ethiopia.
I seized this opportunity to prove how SEPDA
can be subcontracted to carry out the
implementation along a corridor covering 7
towns. I developed the proposal including
budget and log frames and when it was
submitted, SC-USA approved and granted
SEPDA 1.3 million USD for a period of 4 years.
There is no denying that this amount along with
the efforts channeled into it gave me enough
reason to smile and to show how volunteerism
can be utilized. Because of this project SEPDA
had to establish another office complete with
staff and equipments. The challenge in this SC-
USA call was drafting a logical budget from its
first to the fourth year. I had to make several
inquiries to other organizations and the private
sector on costs of services and products. Take
for example cost estimation for palliative care
services!
Population Services International
USAID through PSI implements THPP-Targeted
HIV/AIDS Prevention Program across Ethiopia. I
wrote a proposal to PSI and SEPDA was
subcontracted to implement the program in
three towns Konso, Tercha and Halaba in south
Ethiopia. This noble project involves distribution
of male condoms, training on their application
and referrals. The number of condoms to be
distributed and budget are 800,000 and 60,000
USD respectively.
3|P a ge
The condom distribution I think will face some
difficulties especially on the side of recipients.
The young adults especially the trendy type
mostly residing in towns are choosy when it
comes to condoms….they want quality and
appealing products. I have to appreciate Trust
and Sensation condom makers because they
have factored the above factors. But for the
condoms that PSI tries to give recipients free of
charge…the sort which comes in strips of four employees in south Ethiopia. I have linked them
with pattern of American jeans trouser to Global Fund for Women.
hahahaha it will take a great deal of time to
convince a dot com youth to use them. SHAFON – www.shafon.org is another
Condoms need lots of value-addition…again organization I have carried out similar efforts
Sensation has various types depending on sex through VSO Volunteers who were placed
type…whether oral or other sex. I am not there.
against the PSI Project but only raising a
I also involved the Peace Corps volunteers in
concern that I mentioned during proposal
Hawassa on the condom promotion among
development.
Hawassa University students. I gave 12,000
Ministry of Health/ Global Fund condoms to Chris from USA who works in the
university as a PC volunteer.
The MOH here in Ethiopia just like in other
countries is a Principle Recipient of GF. The Involving Stakeholders
sector in the MOH dealing with GF is HAPCO-
The success of proposal development process
HIV &AIDS Prevention and Control office. I
cannot wholly be attributed to the author.
wrote a proposal to Regional HAPCO in Hawassa
Various stakeholders contribute to this
and it funded two youth entertainment centers
development albeit at different stages and at
in two towns in South Ethiopia. The amount of
varying level of efforts.
35,250 USD was approved.
The notable stakeholders that I have been
Other Efforts
consulting are the government bureaus; Bureau
I have not been as jealous in my roles in SEPDA of Finance and Economic Development, Bureau
as I have always extended my assistance in of Health, Bureau of Capacity Building as well as
helping other organizations especially partners that of Women and Children. They have been
and members of SEPDA in this fellowship of giving latest statistics as well as writing
seeking external resources. Notably is Resource recommendation letters.
Center for Civil Society groups which actually
Other stakeholders are the past and existing
won 150,000 Euros from EC. Similarly I have
development partners.
been giving technical support to Missale an
HIV&AIDS association of government

4|P a ge
Blue Nile Bridge

What Next

I have been thinking of sourcing financial

support from philanthropists, embassies and
foundations in addition to other conventional
ways. The remaining time I still have in Ethiopia
I hope will be enough to approach at least one
of the above. I also wish to assist other small
organizations here in fundraising efforts. There
are many small organizations in Ethiopia who
have good development ideas but cannot
access funding sources partly because of limited
knowledge of fund availability or lack of means Wabe shebele monkeys are amazing lot.
i

as internet access, qualified staff, and lack of

competitive edge. Geoffrey Kibet Rotich, M & E Advisor, E-mail :
geoffreyrotich@gmail.com

5|P a ge