Award winner welcomed by higher government officials and Mekelle University administration
Tigrai Online, June 28, 2012
The Community Aldeia brings together the winners of the Equator Prize 2012. Ayte Gebremichael Gidey, Abreha we-Atsbeha’s community administration chairman is one of the winners
The Community Aldeia brings together the winners of the Equator Prize 2012
Ayte Gebremichael Gidey, Abreha we-Atsbeha’s community administration chairman, welcomed by higher government officials of Tigray regional state and Mekelle University’s administration on 27 June, 2012 at the office of the president of the regional government upon his arrival from Rio de Janiero, Brazil, where he has received $20,000 and a recognition certificate.
On the ceremony, Dr. Kindeya Gebrehiwot, Academic Vice president, congratulates Ayte Gebremichael and the local community. Moreover, he said this achievement is a testimony for the effectiveness of the Development Strategy we are implementing.
Ayte Gebremichael Gidey, the chairman of the community’s administration, on his part said “We worked hard so that the bones, blood and flesh of those who died in the mountains for us to achieve this will not be washed away by floods and degradation, but get shelter.” He also said his community members contributed in changing the country’s image for better because Mekelle University opened the door for them. Thus, he recommended that similar promotion be done for other communities too as there are communities who are doing even better work than this community in some aspects but did not get the chance to be recognized because they were not nominated for competition.
Finally, Ayte Abay Weldu said, “the award is not only the community’s; it is not even Tigray’s. It is Ethiopia’s award; we have to broaden this to other areas and make it known to the world.”
The community stood first from the ten winners of the “special recognition” prize for its innovative project which has helped to transform degraded hillsides into productive farmland. Ayte Gebremichael received the award in a ceremony attended by heads of states, U.N. representatives and celebrities at the U.N. Conference on Sustainable Development (also known as Rio+20) on 22 June, 2012