Women and liveability – Best practices of empowerment from Ethiopia

Abstract

How to survive and make ends meet and how to improve the quality of life are daily and persistent livelihood issues and liveability challenges preoccupying disadvantaged communities in underdeveloped and developing countries. In war torn and hazard ridden Ethiopia life struggles are extremely tough for womenfolk who more often than not are burdened with the task of coping with the aftermaths of such natural and man-made disasters. Through examining the findings from secondary information sources this paper illustrates three cases of how women helped make the best of empowerment projects geared to make the livelihood and liveability of their family and community worth salvaging – even celebrating - once more. It also highlights the institutional and organizational traits that were also the success factors of the empowerment projects.

Keywords: empowerment projects, Ethiopia, liveability, livelihood, success factors, womenfolk