Major Transformation in People’s Living Standards

Traveling to many rural areas of Eritrea one can’t find the old sceneries that once were almost looked in wildernesses. Most uneven roads have been paved making travel from and to different places very easy, a number of infrastructures of service rendering institutions have been put in place, what is more is that many areas that looked barren have been covered with green vegetations through the ever-developing agricultural undertakings and new areas have been rapidly urbanizing which are indeed harbingers of an ever-increasing multidimensional advances. As part of the compressive putting in place of infrastructures, different sub-zones in the Southern Region have been benefiting from the implementation of reliable development programs.

Many villages of the Senafe sub-zone used to have no or limited access to basic services; of which are the provision of potable water and educational services. The completion of water supply project worth 4.1 million Nakfa is in fact expected to solve the long existed deficits of safe water to many villages of the sub-zone such as: Serha, Embadhan, Kokobay, Maitsada, Embahisaie, Tsadakorso, and Gubo. As a continuation of the efforts that have been exerted to changing people’s life style through the provision of services of vital importance, a new secondary school worth above 20 million Nakfa is under construction in the town of Senafe while two preliminary schools are being constructed in Mzba and Mrara. Administrator of the sub-zone Mr. Bereket Tekeste said that besides the varied projects that have been implemented in this sub-zone, in 2010 alone 93 million Nakfa was dispensed for the revitalization of service rendering facilities. In Senafe sub-zone a total of 52 schools have been offering services from elementary to secondary level.

Serha semi urban center, which is 24 km away from Senafe has shown commendable advances that with the upgrading of an elementary school to a junior level, many students who used to travel to Senafe and Forto have been getting educational opportunity at ease in their respective locality. The construction of water distribution centers and enhancement of health care services are also major developments in this semi urban area.

In line with the endeavors that have been made to alleviate social problems of nationals who seek minimal financial support to succeed in life, a number of people have been changing their living standards through the introduction of micro credit and saving scheme. The loan programs have therefore been playing vital role in alleviating the financial problems of many nationals who otherwise could not lead better life without such a loan which enabled them run small scale businesses and thereby change their life style. Owner of a sweater plant Mr. Teweldemedhin Tsegay from Senafe, for instance, has received a loan of 56 thousand Nakfa which he used to the development of his plant.

Tsorona sub-zone was also one among the areas which lacked service rendering facilities. In the last 20 years, however, bedsides 12 health care institutions, transpiration and electricity infrastructure have been put in place and 17 schools have been constructed. Most notably 65% of the inhabitants of this sub-zone have gained access to potable water.

Like the other parts of the southern region the sub-zone of Mai-ayni also had limited social services and with no health care facility provided. Inaugurated last June 2011, a community hospital is now giving commendable service to 12 administrative areas of the sub-zone. According to Mr. Osman Mahmud, the community hospital in Mai-ayni has been offering service not only to the inhabitant of that respective area but inhabitants from some parts of Tsorona have become beneficiaries of the services this community hospital is providing. Head of the community hospital, Nurse Haile Oqbamichaiel, on his part indicated that as part of malaria prevention programs about 1, 800 impregnated mosquito nets were distributed to 54 villages of that sub-zone.

In light of the fact that southern region is the country’s hub of agricultural activities, one may not be surprised to hear that vast agricultural areas have been put under cultivation in the Mai-ayni sub-zone. What is really impressing is that many traditional farming practioners have been joining to more advanced irrigation system. Coupled with the sufficient water reserves the Dams of Unafero and Sesewe impounded, the number of farmers in Mai-ayni subzone has been gradually increasing. Hence 40 hectares of farm land in Unaforo and 20 hectares in Sesewe and also 25 hectares in the villages of Tekalil and Deda have been leveled for irrigation based farming. Owing to the encouragement the Government made, Mr. Tesfamariam Teklay said that he invested in farming since 2001. He said “I am now cultivating around 5,000 plants of varied fruits.

All the above mentioned sub-zones have been making a headway development through the implementation of varied infrastructures. The notable progresses made include the construction of schools, water reservoirs, health care facilities, provision of potable water supply, electrification. In addition trainings have been offered on different topics related to societal health and other topics and notable progress have been showing in terms of vivid transformation in the living standards of the inhabitants of many villages as well as in the semi urban centers.