An interview with Mesfin Worku
Ever wondered what it's like to work for Ripple Effect? Hear from Mesfin Worku, Senior Dairy Cow Management Officer for Ripple Effect Ethiopia.
What’s your name and what do you do at Ripple Effect?
My name is Mesfin Worku, and I’ve been working for the last three years as a Senior Dairy Cow Management Officer for Ripple Effect, Ethiopia. I work in the Wolayita area of Ethiopia, supporting families who are part of Ripple Effect projects to fight hunger and poverty.
What are the biggest challenges families face in the communities where you work?
Families face many different challenges, with poverty and hunger levels in the community very high. In terms of poverty, families face a lack of knowledge on how to make the best use of the resources they already have.
The effects of the climate crisis, like drought or too much rain, are also causing problems for families and the productivity of their farms. As families rely on rain-fed agriculture, the unpredictable weather destroys crops and makes it harder for families to grow enough nutritious food.
How do you help to support families facing these challenges?
Mindset change is an important part of Ripple Effect’s work. Before a project starts, we work with communities to identify the resources they already have, rather than focusing on what they don’t have. We then provide training in those areas, so families can get the most out of their land and grow their skills and knowledge.
We work with families to build their resilience to the impacts of the climate crisis through training in sustainable farming practices such as organic agriculture, composting, kitchen gardens, natural resource management and the provision of multipurpose trees.
Families have been planting a variety of trees on their land, which not only helps to boost the soil quality for crops but also provides fruit to eat and sell too. Farming families have also been planting a variety of improved forage which has many benefits including for livestock feed, income generation, soil fertility improvement, and water and soil conservation.
Promoting improved livestock management is also an important part of our work. We provide training on how to best care for and house livestock, which in turn boosts milk production for cows. Families can also make good use of their cow’s manure to fertilise their gardens and grow healthier crops.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
I don’t want to see families living in poverty, so I enjoy sharing all that I know with families, helping to develop their skills. That’s what makes me happy to do this job. We [Ripple Effect] are trying to help our communities as much as we can. Ripple Effect is doing good things and I enjoy working here.
Mesfin helps families day in day out as they learn more, grow more and sell more. You can also support families like this by setting up a regular monthly gift where your continued support will help families each month. Feel the joy every time you notice your regular payment on your bank statement, knowing that you're starting a ripple effect in a community in rural Africa.
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