Written by: Courtney Carr

We are excited to announce that EnCompass’ Senior Gender Advisor in Ethiopia, Heran Tadesse, has received an award and certificate from the Ethiopia Federal Ministry of Health’s Women, Children, and Youth Affairs Directorate.

Ethiopian State Minister of Health, Sahrela Abdullahi, personally thanked the World Health Organization (WHO) and Ms. Tadesse, a member of EnCompass’ team for the USAID Transform: Primary Health Care project, with an engraved award for their contributions to the directorate. The Women, Children, and Youth Affairs Directorate organizes an annual review and planning meeting for staff from 10 regions of Ethiopia, two city administrations, four federal hospitals, and seven agencies. After each meeting, staff and development partners with outstanding contributions to the directorate’s mission receive awards. This year, the USAID Transform: Primary Health Care project and WHO received the award as “best development partners for technical and financial assistance provided throughout the year.” Individual awards are for exceptional commitments made to fill technical gaps.

“I feel that such recognition is wonderful, which gives me more energy to contribute more in the future,” Ms. Tadesse said.

The USAID Transform: Primary Health Care project provides technical assistance to the Ethiopian government, supporting its implementation of the Health Sector Transformation Plan, with the goal of preventing child and maternal deaths. EnCompass leads a gender-transformative approach, including an examination of gender norms and dynamics, strengthening of systems and capacities to be more gender responsive, and strategic engagements to challenge and change inequitable gender norms and behaviors related to health.

Please join us in congratulating Ms. Tadesse for her continued contributions to the health and well-being of Ethiopia’s women and children. To learn more about Ms. Tadesse’s work, please read her recent blog post on the Gendered Dimensions of Covid-19: Perspectives and Responses from Ethiopia.