Contributions And Challenges Of Community Based Organizations In Bringing Socio-Economic Development: In The Case Of Chancho Town Meredaja Iddir And Chancho Town Wotatoch Meredaja Iddir In Chancho Town Of Oromia, Ethiopia

Abstract

‟Iddirs‟ are the prominent community based organizations, non-profit groups, locally formed, locally staffed, and their actions are specific to the location they are operating in Ethiopian communities which are established primarily for local work to generate improvements within a community on the local level helping their members at the time of loss of family and relatives. „Iddirs‟ are vital in reducing social and/or idiosyncratic crises. Experiences across Ethiopia in general and the study area in particular showed that less attention is given by the government. In addition, corruptions and embezzlement by iddir leaders hamper the potentials of iddirs in enhancing community-based development. This is a research conducted on community based organizations (CBOs) the case of Chancho town Meredaja Iddir and Chancho town Wotatoch Meredaja „Iddir‟ in Chancho town. The major objective of this study is to assess the challenges, opportunities and Contribution of community based organizations (CBOs) or „Iddirs‟ in bringing socio-economic development in the study area. In order to gain a holistic overview of developmental activities of the „Iddir‟ 50 members from the total population of 2115 members are selected for FGD and interviewed 40 and 10 respectively from the above mentioned two Iddirs‟ members; both primary and secondary data were collected during the fieldwork and desktop review. Qualitative method is used to gain a broader understanding of the system and the activities are involved for the increasing of the validity of the data. Keeping the above realities in mind, this research, is focused on two „iddirs‟ (Chancho town Meredaja and Chancho town Wotatoch Meredaja „Iddirs‟) which are exhaustively focused on investigating the socio economic development problems of households in Chancho town and assessed that the challenges, opportunities and Contribution of community based organizations (CBOs) in bringing socio-economic development. In order to build up the capacity of iddirs, and maximize their involvement and efficiency in developmental activities both governmental and non governmental organizations are expected to encourage and work together with iddirs.