By Yitbarek Tekalign, May 7, 2025
In an amazingly symbolic setting, where the lights reflected off the polished white walls of the Oromia Irrigation and Pastoralist Development Bureau’s management hall, two influential organizations came together this morning to mark the beginning of a promising chapter for pastoralist communities in the Oromia region.
Gudina Tumsa Foundation (GTF) and the Oromia Irrigation and Pastoralist Development Bureau (OIPDB) signed a breakthrough agreement aimed at harmonizing indigenous knowledge with modern practices for disaster risk management and sustainable natural resource governance in the Borana pastoral areas of Oromia. The agreement, backed by a financial grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, initiates a two-year project under the “Healthcare and Livelihood Improvement Advocacy Project in Oromia (HaLIAPO).”
The ceremonial signing was graced by key figures from both organizations. GTF was represented by the Managing Director Mrs. Lensa Gudina while OIPDB was represented by the Bureau Head Engineer Girma Regasa. The atmosphere was charged with purpose and pride as the participants, their faces gleaming with optimism, committed themselves to transforming lives.
In her remarks, Mrs. Lensa Gudina expressed profound gratitude for the Bureau’s openness and commitment to pastoralist development. “Had there been a government body like the Oromia Irrigation and Pastoralist Development Bureau when we first began our journey with the Karayu pastoralists in 1994, the challenges we faced would have been far less daunting,” she reflected.
Mrs. Lensa also highlighted GTF’s longstanding engagement with the Karayu pastoralist people, dating back more than three decades. “We started with education, supported women’s economic empowerment, preserved the environment, and worked to eliminate harmful traditional practices,” she said. “Today, many of the children we supported are serving the country in various capacities and some are working for global institutions. Without GTF’s early support, this transformation may never have occurred. Now that a committed body like the Oromia Irrigation and Pastoralist Development Bureau exists, we can scale our impact more effectively and build on the experience we have gained.”
Engineer Girma Regasa, for his part, welcomed the GTF team with high praise, calling the Foundation a “historic partner” that stood with marginalized communities. “GTF has walked a long road with the Karayu people, long before such efforts were prioritized nationally,” he stated. “We are not just signing a document today; we are joining hands in lifting our pastoralist communities through action, not just words,” he stated with strong emotion.
The agreement outlines a comprehensive scope of activities, including the assessment of customary institutions, integration of indigenous early warning systems, policy analysis, and participatory monitoring. GTF will provide over 18 million birr in financial support, along with technical expertise and monitoring.
As the session closed, there was a palpable sense of destiny being fulfilled. In the words of Mrs. Lensa, “Pastoralists are not a burden; they are a tremendous potential for national growth. And now, with vision, experience, and committed partners, we can finally help them rise.”
The sun outside may have blazed over the city, but inside the Bureau, a new light had just begun to shine for the future of the pastoral nucleus.
