The document summarizes various activities and developments within Ethiopia's sugar industry. It discusses how pastoralists who joined a villagization program now have access to social services and a better life. It also discusses how resettlers due to a sugar development project now have schools, health centers, and other services conveniently located. Additionally, it provides updates on various sugar development projects, including job opportunities created, land distribution, and construction progress.

1. Sweet
Quarterly Newsletter of Sugar Corporation :+251-(0)11-552-7475/6322 : +251-(0)11-515-1283
: 20034 Code 1000 A.A Sugar_corp@ethionet.et www.etsugar.gov.et
VISION ፡
TO CREATE SUGAR INDUSTRIES COMPETITIVE ENOUGH AT INTERNATIONAL LEVEL BASED ON A SUSTAINABLE GROWTH PATTERN
Vol. 1 No. 3 June, 2013
Newsletterተወዳዳሪ የስኳር ኢንዱስትሪ መገንባት!
Building Competitive Sugar Industry!
Our Backward Way of Life is Gone”
Afar Pastoralists who joined the villagization program
Afar pastoralists who have
joined the villagization program at Doubt-
ti Woreda ofAfar Regional State disclosed
last month that the program has helped
them to do away with their earlier back-
ward way of life creating access to various
social services.
The pastoralists who have settled
at Boyenna Village of Doubtti Woreda
said that Sugar Corporation and the Ad-
ministration of Afar Regional State have
constructed school, health centers includ-
ing of cattle, mosque , cereal grinding
“Social Services Made Available
at Our Door Steps”
Resettlers at Korarit of Wolkaiyt
Woreda who voluntarily leave their former
villages due to the inception of Wolkaiyt
Sugar Development Project disclosed that
the resettlement program , making various
social services available at their door steps ,
has enabled them lead a better life. Accord-
ing to some approached for their reflection,
the program has also helped their children
proceed their schooling with no interrup-
tion.
Resettlers at Korarit –Wolkaiyt
Woreda
Sugar Corporation has held discussion at Mizan Town-Aman with the
command area elders; leadership members of Benchi-Majji and Keffa Zones and
scholars regarding Kuraz Sugar Development Project on June 8, 2013.
At this awareness creating forum Sugar Corporation has made ready in
collaboration with its stake holders extensive explanation was given regarding the
importance of the project both to people around the project area in particular and
the nation in general, it was learnt. The need to participate the general public more
and the necessity of creating awareness about the project among the public is called
for during the discussion, it was disclosed.
162 participants including leadership selected from Woreda and Kebele,
elderly people and scholars have taken part in the discussion forum. Furthermore,
Head of Pastoralist’s Affairs Bureau of Southern Nations, Nationalities and People
and four members of House of Peoples Representatives have participated and gave
explanation on the importance of the project, it was disclosed.
Discussion Held with Elders, Scholars & Leadership of Benchi-Majji and Keffa Zones
»» p.2 »» p.3
Participants of the discussion
Warm Welcoming Reception of
Korarit...p.5
New Wonji/Shoa Sugar Factory Produced over 60 Thousand Quintals
• Wonji/Shoa & Metehara Won Trophy Applying Kaizen
The newly built Wonji/Shoa Sugar Factory has, on its trial production,
produced over 60 thousand quintals of sugar within one and half month .
Atkilti Tesfaye , General Manager of Wonji/Shoa Sugar Factory in an in-
terview he held with the staff of Public Relations Directorate disclosed that the
construction of the new and modern sugar factory has reached 98 % with major
machinery erections which have made trial production possible completed. The rest
of the construction job will be finalized this winter seasons running commissioning
vis-à-vis the trial production simultaneously, he further said.
Efforts are being exerted to enable the new factory enter into regular pro-
duction with 70% of its full capacity by the end of October, 2013, it was learnt.
The general manager further disclosed that the trial production has proved the
“generally our life here now is
much more better” Habib Ali
New Wonji/Shoa Sugar Factory»» p.5

2. 2 S w e e t N e w s l e t t e r
mill, bakery and associational shop, and a
pastoralists training center which totally
have changed their life style.
One among others approached
for interview by Ethiopian Radio and
Television Agency reporters and the staff
of Public Relations Directorate of Sugar
Corporation Abdu Ali said “ our earlier
lives were quite different from now ; we
had no, not only access to social services
but also , as we used to lead our lives
wondering around alone in search of wa-
ter and grazing land , opportunities even
to get one another’s support in times of
trouble; but now our backward way of
life is gone ; the corporation together
with administrative bodies of the region
have made social services and irrigable
“Our Backward Way of… ”
Arjjo Dediessa Sugar Develop-
ment Project is conducting land prepa-
ration, canal construction and seed cane
plantation work to cultivate 1,200 hect-
ares of commercial cane by the current
budget year, Public Relations Office of
the project disclosed.
According to the office the con-
struction of the factory has reached more
than ninety percent and when completed
and start working it will have a crushing
capacity of 8,000 tons of sugar cane per
day. The factory is constructed to have a
crushing capacity of 12,000 tons of sugar
cane when reaching at its full capacity
and will also produce electric power vis-
à-vis its main product- sugar.
The factory prior to its transfer
to Sugar Corporation had been owned
and administered by a foreign Pakistan
private company known as Al-Habesha.
The Project which is found
400 kilo meters away from Addis Ababa
and its command area is found at East-
ern Wollega , Eillu Ababora and Jimma
zones of Oromia Regional State follow-
ing the route of Deddiessa Rift Valley.
AARJJO DEDIESSA SUGAR DEVELOPMENT PROJECT CONDUCTING SEED CANE PLANTATION
Tendaho Sugar Development Project
has created job opportunities to more than sev-
en thousand citizens on permanent and provi-
sional basis, Cane Plantation & Factory Project
Deputy Director General of Sugar Corporation
disclosed.
In an interview he recently held with
the staff of Public Relations Directorate of the
corporation, Cane Plantation & Factory Project
Deputy Director General Abebe Tesfaye point-
ed out that till mid of June , 2013 close to six
thousand citizens have got provisional job op-
portunities while around 1,111 others are found
working at the project on permanent and con-
tract basis. Among these recruited by the proj-
ect on permanent and contract basis 435 youth
are from natives and other surrounding nation-
alities who went through training programs on
various professions and assigned at different
executive levels, Abebe further added. Accord-
ing to him their number represents 37 % of the
PROJECT CREATED JOB OPPORTUNITIES TO MORE THAN SEVEN THOUSAND CITIZENS
project’s total permanent and contract
employees.
Upon reaching its full pro-
duction capacity the factory will create
job opportunities close to fifty thou-
sand citizens which will further open
the door for more job opportunities to
natives and surrounding nationalities,
Abebe said. Working in collaboration
with Afar Regional State, the project is
currently recruiting head mans, fore-
men, machine operators and others to
execute the various jobs of the project,
it was noted.
On the other hand, to make
the natives the primary beneficiaries
of the project’s canal scheme, close to
twelve thousand hectares of irrigable
farming and grazing land will be made
ready by the project and handed over
to local pastoralists, the deputy direc-
tor general pointed out. And, irrigable
land which is made ready in Dubti,
Gablaiytu, Ayrolafe, Gasuri and Un-
daburi villages is distributed to 2,167
households where various develop-
ment activities are started, it was dis-
closed. Likewise, the construction of
schools, health stations, drinking wa-
ter wells, mosques, grinding mills and
other social service giving institutions
are underway vis-à-vis the villagiza-
tion program, Abebe noted. Among
the villages their construction is found
under different levels with various so-
cial services and infrastructure, con-
signment of three is conducted, it was
learnt.
Currently out of the total
twenty five thousand hectares of sug-
arcane plantation field needed to the
first phase factory with the crushing
capacity of thirteen thousand tons of
cane per day (TCD) ten thousand five
hundred hectares of land is covered
with sugarcane while over 84 percent
of the construction of the factory is
completed, Abebe explained.
Tendaho Sugar Development
Project is a project where a huge sugar
factory with a total crushing capacity
of twenty six thousand tons of sugar
cane per day will be built in two phas-
es and upon reaching its full produc-
tion capacity it will have a capacity of
producing 619,000 tons of sugar and
63,000 cubic liters of ethanol per an-
num and contribute from 65- 70 Mega
Watt electric power to the national
grid.
Workers at cane plantation field
plotting land available to us”.
The other native who has re-
flected his opinion about his new way of
life at Boyenna is Habib Ali. Habib says
“we earlier used to go long distances such
as Dokka in search of water, but here so-
cial services are made available at our
door steps; our kids have started going to
schools for we have permanently settled
here at Boyenna; there are 500 house-
holds living at this village getting various
social services at their hand-stretch length
; generally our life here now is much more
better”.
According to Gurjja Berehie,
Team Leader of Micro Enterprises Sup-
port of Public Organization Division of
Sugar Corporation, out of ten villages
planned to be constructed at Doubtti
Woreda three of them are completed with
social services and other infrastructures
being made ready. At the same time there
will be other four villages at Millie Wore-
da too, it was disclosed.
Gurjja further went on saying
“the corporation, in line with its sugar
development effort, is working vigor-
ously so as to make the people around
the project areas the first beneficiaries in
various ways “. He also noted that more
than 2,119 hectares of irrigable land is
distributed to natives who have already
harvested maize at it with each household
owning one hectare of land. On many vil-
lages irrigable land preparation is current-
ly undergoing at more than 6,000 hectares
of land and till mid of June, 2013 around
1,500 pastoralists have settled at three vil-
lages, it was learnt.
Vol. 1 No. 3 June, 2013

3. 3S w e e t N e w s l e t t e r
NEW WONJI/SHOA
SUGAR FACTORY...
“Social
Services
Made... ”
“”””
One among these resettlers at Korarit is a
priest by profession and his name is Gebre Kirstos
Gebre Egziabheir. Asked to share his opinion on
what is going on at his new village –Korarit Gebre
Kirstos said “ people at Wolkaiyt Woreda are bene-
fitting a lot through health services, schools, drink-
ing water wells, farmers training centers , etc. even
at this elementary stage of the sugar development
project”. He further went on saying “the school at
our earlier village was too far that our children had
to walk for more than two hours and as it was also
an elementary one it had been forcing our children
to stop going to school after fourth grade; but here
at Korarit schools both secondary and a high school
and other social service giving institutions are con-
structed by Sugar Corporation at our door steps”.
Letay Gidey is the other one who has
settled at Korarit and reflects as follows “I have
secured the proper compensation fee from Sugar
Corporation and built my home here; as we had no
access to health stations, schools, potable water, etc
our earlier lives were miserable; but here at korarit
every facility was made ready before our arrival,
we are very greatful to the corporation”.
On the other hand, Amenay Mesfin, Gen-
eral Manager of Wolkaiyt Sugar Development
Project disclosed that 10,217 citizens have got job
opportunities just at this early stage of the project
and among these 204 unemployed youths are re-
cruited among those kebeles relocated from their
prior localities due to the project and thirty two
of them are females. According to Amenay these
youth have undergone a 38 days practical training
program on various professions such as building,
painting, plastering, metal works, sanitary, etc.
before they are recruited by the project itself and
also other institutions which are executing the vari-
ous jobs of the project. To train these youth Birr
940,514 is allocated out of the total Sugar Corpo-
ration has covered 865.514 Birr while Wolkaiyt
Woreda Administration Office has contributed Birr
75,000, it was learnt.
Wolkaiyt Sugar Development Project
which is found at Tigray Regional State is one
among other sugar development projects our coun-
try has, during the GTP period, planned to build
one sugar factory at it with a capacity of produc-
ing 242,000 tons of sugar and 20,827 meter cube of
ethanol per year having 45,000 hectares of sugar
cane plantation field.
Health Center Built at Korarit
construction of the factory very
promising. According to him the
staffs of the old factory have been
made to work on the new one since
four months back so as to acquaint
them with the factory of modern
technology and thereby in the future
lead the operation independently.
Atkilti also noted that the
factory has been conducting expan-
sion work on its sugarcane cultiva-
tion field so as to ensure the supply
of cane to the new factory with a
crushing capacity that doubles the
old Wonji and Shoa sugar factories
altogether. He further pointed out
that the cane cultivation land expan-
sion job has been carried out both at
Dodotta and Wolenchiti with each
having 3,000 and 1,000 hectares of
land covered with cane respectively
while the construction of main and
secondary canal to cultivate cane on
5,000 hectares at Wolenchiti is final-
ized which makes covering these
land with cane by 2013/14 possible.
On the other hand , Fekede
Semie , Deputy General Manager of
Factory Operation disclosed on his
part that it was possible to certify,
during the trial production, that the
construction of the factory is de-
void of any major problem which is
usual in the erection of such a plant.
Fekede further said that the quality of
sugar produced on the trial produc-
tion fulfills the national as well as
international standard which proves
the sound construction of the plant
starting from its design.
The modern plant is tech-
nologically advanced as it minimizes
loss , gives better product with mini-
mum energy consumption, environ-
mentally friendly, releases harm-
less wastes, equipped with various
machineries which protect internal
machineries from damage due to the
entrance unwanted materials , has
also reserve machineries which help
the plant work continuously as much
as possible with no down time, etc.,
Fekede further explained.
While entering for the first
time into its regular production, the
new factory will work with 6,250
TCD (Tons of Cane Crushed per
Day) that rises to 10 - 12,000 TCD,
reaching its maximum capacity.
Meanwhile, Wonji/Shoa
and Metehara sugar factories are
awarded , standing first and second
respectively, with trophies and cer-
tificates at Sheraton Hotel on June
15/2013 for their outstanding ap-
plication and performance of Kaizen
philosophy and management.
More than one hundred
governmental and non- governmen-
tal institutions nationwide had been
rivals on the competition kaizen In-
stitute had held, it was learnt.
Leadership with their trophies
Quarterly Newsletter of Ethiopian Sugar Corporation

4. 4 S w e e t N e w s l e t t e r
Prize Awarded to Kaizen Development Teams and Employees
* Applying Kaizen, Existing Sugar Factories Saved Tens of Millions Birr
Kaizen development teams and employees of Wonji/
Shoa Sugar Factory who have registered remarkable
performance and result are awarded with prizes aimed
at motivating them for more.
On the occasion of the prize awarding ceremony held to
motivate the result registered in kaizen at Wonji/Shoa
Sugar Factory, His Excellency Abay Tsehaye , Director
General of Sugar Corporation , extended his congratu-
latory message to the leadership and employees of the
factory for the great result they scored within a short
period in minimizing expenditure, showing high motiva-
tion and satisfactory production gained through the appli-
cation of kaizen. Abay further said “ we are proud of you
for bringing about tangible results on the cane cultiva-
tion, cane chopping and transportation process, factory
sewerage schemes and on the remarkable jobs done on
the warehouse , garage and the workshop of the factory
using only your creative mind and following your suit-
able new working system while asking no extra budget
and machinery”.
Mengesteab Gebrekidan , Deputy Director General of
Kaizen and IT Division of the corporation on his part dis-
closed that applying Kaizen Wonji/Shoa, Metehara and
Fincha sugar factories have been able to save tens of
millions Birr during the past nine months out of which 71%
is registered by Wonji/Shoa Sugar Factory. He further
said that, through the application of Kaizen, it was able to
raise the awareness of employees in bringing about sus-
tainable improvement with minimum cost, looking towards
themselves rather than at external ones while facing
problems, working and deciding in teams, improving the
service giver and recipient relationships and in making
working places clean, well organized and attractive ones.
The dedication as well as the initiative of employees and
management members of both the corporation and the
sugar factories are the reasons behind the screen for
the commendable result registered, Mengesteab added.
Attakleti Tesfaye, General Manager of Wonji/Shoa Sugar
Factory, on his part disclosed that the factory is found
applying Kaizen at institution level forming 589 develop-
ment teams with 3,973 members drawn from all divisions
which above everything else out ways in bringing about
attitudinal change among the employees. He further
pointed out that various works have been done which
have made the philosophy and application of Kaizen
the main principle not only on working places but also
on the residential areas too. Applying health extension
packages at residential areas of the factory has enabled
to register good result while community policing is also
found being exercised, Attakleti added.
Eventually, management members and employees of
Wonji/Shoa Sugar Factory who have scored remarkable
result have received prizes from His Excellency Abay
Tsehaye, Director General of Sugar Corporation and
other senior management members.
Applying Kaizen philosophy and management at facto-
ries, projects and the head office, Sugar Corporation is
found working vigorously so as to bring about a working
atmosphere that enables to reduce administrative and
production costs; improve production quality and
maximum resource utilization ; increase product and
productivity as well as establish a system that partici-
pates all the employees.
Project Created Job Opportunities to 6,695 Citizens
Kuraz Sugar Development Project has
created job opportunities to 6,695 citizens,
the project General Manager disclosed.
According to Nuredin Asaro, General
Manager of the project a total of 6,695
jobs were created for the local communi-
ties during 2005 budget year out of which
505 are permanent ones.
The report from Public Organization
Division of the project on its part pointed
out that out of 33 micro enterprises orga-
nized in the project, 17 have saved more
than 30 thousand Birr with their bank
account while in a bid to assist these asso-
ciations, a micro enterprises service giving
station is opened at the main town.
Other thirty students who have completed
grade 10 and selected from Nyangatom
and Salamago woredas have gone through
a three month tractor operator training
program held at Chancho training center
on the month of May /2013 , it was learnt.
It is to be recalled that Sugar Corporation
had earlier trained 202 youths recruited
from families of the local pastoralists and
farmers of Jinka town and eight woredas
of South Omo Zone on masonry/building/,
carpentering, welding, painting, electric
installation and plastering.
Youths at work
Vol. 1 No. 3 June, 2013
www.etsugar.gov.et

5. 5S w e e t N e w s l e t t e r
Unlike prior governments of Ethiopia the
power of the ruling government emanates
from the Ethiopian nations, nationalities
and peoples. Hence, any government polit-
ical, social and economical activity is exer-
cised as long as it is to the benefit of the
general Ethiopian people.
In a bid to bring the economic develop-
ment of this nation to the level of middle
income economies the government has
set a five years growth and transforma-
tion plan. Accordingly, to realize the plan
mega projects are now being carried out
in different strategic economic sectors.
And, one among these is the sugar devel-
opment sector.
Based on a profound study and proving
the huge potential of our country to the
sector, the government has planned to
build ten new sugar factories at various
regional states while conducting expan-
sion work at the existing ones. As a sugar
development project
calls for the construc-
tion of large dams &
long distance canals;
the building of both
residential and non
residential houses &
service giving institu-
tions which are many
in number ; the culti-
vation of vast sugar-
cane plantation field
and etc , these huge
task has befallen on
the shoulders of Sugar Corporation.
As sugar development projects demand
large sugarcane plantation field, it
unavoidably brings about displacement of
the people living at the command areas.
And, it is at such juncture that the gov-
ernment is expected to prove its popu-
list essence and conduct resettlement pro-
grams out of the will of the people to be
relocated effecting proper compensation
fees and making ready irrigable tilling land
and grazing land to them. Hence, as a gov-
ernment institution & working hand-in-
glove with concerned regional administra-
tive organs Sugar Corporation is carrying
out the resettlement of those living at the
projects’command areas creating access to
various social services and infrastructures.
WARM WELCOMING RECEPTION OF
KORARIT - WOLKAIYT WOREDA
The Newly Emerging Town - Korarit
Beles Cultivated Over 1,500 Hectares of Cane
* 31 km main canal gone operational
Beles Sugar Development Project has cultivated over
1,500 hectares of cane using furrow, sprinkler and rain gun, proj-
ect general manager disclosed.
The general manager, Melkie Tadesse said 7 thousand
hectares of land leveling is completed to cultivate commercial and
seed cane at 6,200 and 800 hectares of land respectively. A 31
km main canal has gone operational diverting Beles River, it was
learnt.
According to Melkie the construction of three sugar fac-
tories is already started by Metal and Engineering Corporation
while assembling sprinkler for 10 thousand hectares of land is
underway.
On other hand, out of the total 10 thousand residential
and non residential houses to be constructed for the factories
1,828 residential houses, 70 blocks for day laborers and another
23 for social service purposes are under construction in seven ar-
eas of the project command area, he added. Among these some
have already started giving services while others are closer to
their completion, it was disclosed.
Communities of the project area have become ben-
eficiaries of various social services and infrastructures such as
schools, health centers, roads, potable water and other services
made ready by Sugar Corporation, Melkie disclosed. Similarly,
police stations, farmers training and district (kebele) centers are
constructed around their villages, it was learnt. In relation with
compensation fee, 53 million birr was paid to relocated residents
from the projects command area, he further pointed out.
The project has also created permanent and temporary
job opportunities for more than 12.6 thousand citizens, it was
learnt.
Beles Sugar Development Project has 75 thousand hect-
ares of land for its sugar plantation which is mainly found in Am-
hara National Regional State with some in Benishangul Gumuz
National Regional State. It will have three sugar factories which
are now under construction and when completed & reach at their
full capacity, each will have a capacity of crushing 12 thousand
tons of cane per day and together they are expected to produce
726, 000 tons of sugar and 62, 481 meter cube ethanol per annum.
Quarterly Newsletter of Ethiopian Sugar Corporation

6. 6 S w e e t N e w s l e t t e r
As most of those communities living
around the corporation’s projects had
been leading their lives devoid of social
service giving institutions & various
infrastructures, Sugar Corporation has
been filling the gap. And, one among
these is Korarit of Wolkaiyt Woreda
which is located at Hummerra Zone of
Tigray Regional State.
Wolkaiyt Sugar Development Project is
a typical example where a resettlement
program of communities living at the
project’s command area is being carried
out with full consent of those to be reset-
tled . The program is being handled with
the proper compensation fee to each and
every household and building various
social service giving institutions and
infrastructures at Korarit.And, therefore,
Korarit of Wolkaiyt Woreda which had
been left unpopulated except one house-
hold with sad story till few months before
is now changing into a sort of town.
Sugar Corporation has built one high
school, two secondary schools and an
elementary school, a health station, a
farmers training school, a kebele admin-
istration office and twelve water wells at
Korarit which help the settlers in bringing
with the services at their hand-stretch dis-
tances. And, the new residents of Korarit
who had had sad stories to tell due to lack
of social services in their prior villages
are now telling everyone that they are
feeling like a singing bird as the resettle-
ment program will end their lives which
were full of ups and downs.
One of the beneficiaries is a priest by pro-
fession named Mirutse Gebre Michael.
Mirutse says “ prior to our arrival here
we have discussed with government offi-
cials about the project & its immediate
and long run benefits; and we were also
told that every social service institu-
tions will be available at our new village
; and when we at last come to Korarit
we proved that all is there constructed
as promised “. Mirutse further went on
saying “the school we had at our earlier
village – Kallemma was with the level
of elementary one and my children used
to rent a house at a town called My-Gaba
to proceed with their high school learn-
ing which was cumbersome economi-
cally”. He is now happy that every social
service is at his door steps unlike before.
Letay Gidey is the other woman who
had settled at Korarit and she reflects as
follows “I have secured the proper com-
pensation fee from Sugar Corporation and
built my home here; our earlier lives were
miserable; we had no access to health
stations, schools, potable water, etc; but
here at Korarit every facility was ready
before our arrival, we are grateful to the
corporation!”.
Unlike others Fantahun Mekonen’s
family had been living at Korarit alone for
the last twelve years.Approached to share
his observation about the change taking
place at Korarit Fantahun says “ I lived
here for 12 years ; I have a farm land,
cattle and bee-hives here at Korarit “ and
he suddenly ,frowning his eyebrows starts
to struggle his tears back from falling
down his cheeks and went on saying “ No
other household was around while I was
leading my happy life with my late wife
by the name Ethiopia; But, luck had not
been with me that six years back my wife
was seriously sick due to a disease known
as Kalazar around hot climate areas like
Wolkaiyt and Hummera and she was also
pregnant with our third child ” .
Fantahun further says “ Then I took her
seriously ill body to a town known as
Adi-Remetse on foot which had taken
about seven hours; I had no other option
for there was no transport facility here
by then; then taking a transport from
Adi-Remetse I took her to
Hummera Hospital though
she took her last breath there
just after giving birth; She was
the most unfortunate one as
me and my kids will no more
face the same challenge ;
thanks to Sugar Corporation
that every social service has
come to our door steps ; here
after my children who had
been living with the parents
of my late wife since then
will come and live with me and they will
for the first time enroll in the school con-
structed here by the corporation; Thanks
to God!All the miserable experiences are
gone!” To Fantahun and his family, unlike
others, it is the social services and infra-
structures themselves which have come
to his village - Korarit!
Sugar Corporation has not only provide
social service giving institutions and
infrastructures to those who have joined
the resettlement program but also created
job opportunities to 204 unemployed
youths recruited among those kebeles
relocated from their prior localities due
to the project and thirty two of them are
females. These youth have undergone a
38 days practical training program on
various professions such as building,
painting, plastering, metal works, sani-
tary, etc. before they are recruited by the
project itself and also other institutions
which are executing the various jobs of
the project.And, to train these youth Birr
940,514 is allocated out of the total Sugar
Corporation covers 865.514 Birr while
Wolkaiyt Woreda Administration Office
has contributed Birr 75,000.
Masho Dessie is a trainee who has got
married last year and has only month’s
“I got practical training on painting” -Masho
Project General Manager Amenay Mesfin
“ All the miserable experiences are gone!” Fantahun
Vol. 1 No. 3 June, 2013

7. 7S w e e t N e w s l e t t e r
old baby. Asked about the opportunity
created to the youth at Wolkaiyt and the
training program she says “I got a prac-
tical training on painting which I believe
has made me capable of doing the job
with full skill; it is a very great opportu-
nity to the youth like me as such opportu-
nities had never been there to our parents
here at Wolkaiyt”. According to Masho
it is with the help of her husband and
her parent in taking care of her new born
child that she was able to attend the train-
ing program and graduate at the profession
of her choice-painting. Masho further added
“I quit school at 7th grade, now I have a plan
to continue my schooling at the night shift
program while I am working at the project;
I wish all other females of my age get the
same opportunity”.
The other trainee is Asbey Gedey who had
no job after completing his high school at
10th grade. Asbey on his part says “Unlike
many with disability, I had no doubt in
getting the door open for me and when
the opportunity came I became one among
others selected for the training”. Asbey
further added “I got enough training on san-
itary science which was substantiated by
practice that made me, acquiring the nec-
essary skill, capable enough to do the job
by my own; I am really grateful to Sugar
Corporation for doing everything includ-
ing the accommodation facilities and the
pocket money during our stay here at the
project; as I had been jobless, I am very
delighted about the job opportunity I have
got at the project”.
According to the Project General Manager
Amenay Mesfin 10,217 citizens have got
job opportunities just at this early stage of
the project and the factory upon its comple-
tion and reaching its maximum production
capacity is expected to create job opportu-
nities to 80 - 100 thousand citizens directly
and indirectly. Amenay added “Wolkaiyt
Woreda has got great opportunity to invest-
ment due to the inception of the project;
even at this early stage of the project both
local and foreign investors are requesting
for licenses to build hotels with four star
level, fuel stations, livestock breeding and
others”.
Ato Haillie Gebre Medhin, Deputy General
Manager of the Public Organization
Division at the project says that the office
has a plan to train around 130 youth in the
second round in agriculture related profes-
sions such as animal husbandry, fishery,
cooking and irrigation development skills.
Haillie further pointed out that those who
are resettled at Korrarit have started con-
structing their houses on their own even
before they have received the compensation
fee for they believe that they are the primary
beneficiary of the project. According to the
deputy general manager each household has
got a farm land that ranges from 0.75 to 1.75
hectares based on their former ownership
while there is enough grazing land around.
In line with social issues the project office
is also executing the seed and commercial
cane plantation as well as the construction
of dam and canal, residential and non-res-
idential houses and the factory construc-
tion job almost according to the plan set for
the budget year. Abreham Mulu , Deputy
General Manager ofAgriculture Division of
the project office on his part noted that the
project has cultivated seed cane at 512 hect-
ares of land at two places namely Kalliema
of Wolkaiyt Woreda and Raya of Southern
Tigrai Zone each with 300 and 212 hect-
ares of land respectively. Mulu further dis-
closed that the project office has planned
to cultivate both commercial and seed cane
at 3000 hectares of land by the coming
winter seasons among which 800 hectares
will be covered with seed cane so as to be
able cultivate 8000 hectares of commercial
cane by the year 2006 and 2007 E.C. To
curb the problem of the water pump irriga-
tion system interruption caused at Kalliema
seed cane plantation activity due to electric
failure, the project office has worked with
the concerning regional as well as federal
offices that the wood made polls are made
to be substituted with concrete electric polls
through which the electric power line comes
to the project from Shirie Town.
On the other hand, as the construction of
both the Zarriema May-Day Dam and the
70 Kilo Meters long main canal is crucial to
the projects sugarcane plantation develop-
ment, Sur Construction P. Ltd. Company is
working twenty four hours so as to complete
the job within thirty months as per contrac-
tual agreement with Sugar Corporation.
General Manager of Zarriema May-Day
Dam Construction Project Engineer Araya
Girmay pointed out that the level of per-
formance of the construction has reached
10.5 % till mid ofApril. He further went on
saying “the construction of the main canal
is going on side by side with the dam con-
struction job; we are working vigorously to
conclude the diversion conduit construction
till mid of the coming month of September”.
Therefore, Sugar Corporation, while
running the Wolkaiyt Sugar Development
Project as part of the GTP, has given due
attention to the interest of the people living
both in and around the project’s command
area. And, the people at Wolkaiyt Woreda
have not only started benefitting from the
project even at its early stage but have also
great hope at its front! Wolkaiyt has not
only been introduced with various social
service giving institutions and infrastruc-
tures but has started attracting investors!
It is to flourish as an industrial zone soon!
There! Korrarit of Wolkaiyt Woreda has also
continued with its warm welcoming recep-
tion of its guests! AS EVERYTHING HAS
ITS OWN TIME TO COUNT!!!
Engineer Araya Girmay
School Constructed at Korarit
Quarterly Newsletter of Ethiopian Sugar Corporation