BACKGROUND

Labata Fantalle Organization was officially registered on 19th April 2010 with the FDRE Ministry of Justice Charities and Societies Agency, in accordance with proclamation No.621/2009, under certificate Number 1771.The organization has also re-registered under Ethiopia’s new CSO law 1113/2019 in 2019. The non-profit grassroots organization was established with the aim to facilitate participatory, community-led development. The Pastoralist and Agro-Pastoralist people inhabiting Fantalle Woreda have been facing numerous problems for the past several decades and these problems have become more severe in the last few years. Although there are development institutions working in the area, it was felt by the community that another development organization was needed. The emergence of the first university graduates within the last some years has enabled members of the community to establish an organization for the first time, which is not much technically reliant on outside support. The Karrayyu led in the past and for its significant proportion until recently traditional and extensive livestock rearing system regarded as transhumance pastoralism. However, this traditional system is challenged by the dwindling pastureland, recurrent drought and depletion of natural resources. Consequently, the traditional system has been curtailed and can no longer functions adequately due to lack of access to traditional grazing grounds and water points. The public service facilities are very underdeveloped due to inadequate and less qualified manpower, poor infrastructure development and lack of important inputs. Less representation in major political offices and forms/levels of government and the consequent poor understanding/recognition and protection of the peoples’ way of life, their cultures, their identity, their land/livelihood and the environment in which they live are among major root causes for some of the challenges the Karrayyus and other indigenous people in the country are facing.

Vission

• The vision of the organization is to see independent communities maintaining their way of life and developing self-sufficient livelihoods whilst conserving and improving land and natural resources

  
  

Mission

• Labata Fantalle Organization has a mission which is to support pastoralists, agro-pastoralists, farmers and other livelihood group communities in Ethiopia during a time of rapid change, using sustainable approaches that are friendly for both people and environment. Our work enables communities particularly the marginalized and most vulnerable ones to develop sustainable livelihoods, protect their environments, generate food security and empower themselves.

  Labata Fantalle Organization’s mission is to work with pastoralist and agro-pastoral communities to:

  •  Improve livelihoods through the introduction of new and innovative income generating activities
  • Improve the local environment through sustainable natural resource management techniques
  • Improve educational levels through training provisions and a combination of modern and indigenous knowledge approaches 
  • Improve access to water, sanitation and hygiene 
  • Work on peace building and contributing to the peaceful co-existence of communities 
  • Ensure gender equality and promotion of inclusive socio-economic development and safeguarding
  • Encourage and support local culture and traditions through heritage work, local crafts production and community tourism activities

Here are some of our key current projects

• Strengthening Preservation of Indigenous Cultural Institutions and handcrafts making skills of Fantalle Communities
• Protracted Crises Emergency Response and Recovery Support for Fantalle Community
• Promotion of Peaceful Co-existence among Neighboring Ethnic Pastoralist Groups on Oromia-Afar Border