(00:20) In Ethiopia, as in any country, non-governmental organizations and civil society groups (00:25) are important partners in development to help poor or under served communities develop and progress. (00:30) The United States Agency for International Development, known as USAID, (00:40) is partnering with Project Mercy, a faith-based, not-for profit group serving two rural communities in Yetebon, SNNPR and Chacha, Amhara. (00:50) Marta Gabre-Tsadick, the first woman Senator of Ethiopia under Emperor Haile Selassie, and her husband, Deme Tekle-Wold, founded Project Mercy. (00:54) After fleeing the Communist dictatorship that overthrew the Emperor, (01:00) they established operations in Ethiopia in 1993 when they returned from exile in the U.S. (01:05) I am so very proud and thankful to God that my husband (01:10) and I are the very first that has came to Ethiopia. (01:15) Senator James Inhofe, one of Project Mercy’s first and most vocal champions (01:19) has helped the organization attract national and international support. (01:22)The miracle by Martha and Deme are indescribable (01:24) and it must be witnessed. (01:30) In early 2013, Sen. Inhofe, USAID Administrator Rajiv Shah (01:34) and several other members of Congress visited Project Mercy’s operations in Yetebon. (01:42) On June 20, USAID Ambassador Donald E. Booth, USAID/Ethiopia Mission Director Dennis Weller (01:48) and the President of Southern Nations Nationalities People’s Region Shiferaw Shegute, (01:55) came together with Marta and Deme of Project Mercy to sign two agreements to support its operations in Yetebon and Chacha. (02:06) In Yetebon, a Gurage community outside Butajira town and about 165 kilometers from Addis Ababa (02:15) pregnant mothers had difficulties receiving medical care. (02:17) Because this hospital didn’t exist previously, I have heard that many mothers died on their way to Butajera. (02:22) The first hours of delivery and the first minute after delivery are called the golden minute. (02:30) There was no vehicle before so we carry on the stick stretcher (02:22) and walking on barefoot to take them the closest road where vehicle can be accessed. (02:39) Now we can walk here and get served and sick people are healed and women can deliver in peace. (02:48) Together, we were train four hundred new midwives and reach three thousand individuals through maternal and child health services. (02:57) We will insure that every expecting mother has skilled birth attendant at her side and children survive and strive. (03:01) Through the second USAID-Project Mercy partnership for food security, (03:09) USAID will help farmers in Chacha, Amhara produce high quality cow milk that will raise incomes and improve the nutrition of children. (03:12) Ethiopia is to be known as a milk land country (03:19) and now we have children that have never tasted a glass of milk in their entire life. Really the important thing is that project is going to be training people (03:24) how to care full their milk cows and more importantly, (03:28) how to take the milk from those cows and market it so they can earn income. (03:40) We definitely are looking very excitedly to work with USAID. (03:47) We know what USAID stands for, to help nations such as Ethiopia (03:59) to better itself for the young generation of Ethiopia. (03:59) USAID grants for project mercy are example of the spirit and generosity of America (04:00) We are doing something right. (04:12) Ethiopians are shown that they can in fact increase their productivity and can improve their people’s lives here. (04:18) We are a catalyst. We USAID and we US tax payers our money that goes under the country like in Ethiopia is (04:23) to improve the food security but to sustain this gains we have to have local partners (04:29) and we have to have good technology that come to here to sustain after we exit the country like Ethiopia. (04:32) I am very proud of my fellow Ethiopians all over the world (04:42) and I would like to encourage them to come to really help working in this country.