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Researchers of Mekelle University

VERSIONE ITALIANA A FONDO PAGINA

Mekelle University is one of the top Federal Public Universities in Ethiopia and has been severely affected by the war in Tigray. In the twenty-five-plus years since its establishment, the university has become well known for its high quality academic programs, pioneering research and wider community engagement.

Today, however, the University is unable to accept students, academic staff are unable to deliver the regular teaching, research and community engagement duties have been interrupted, development projects have been disrupted or damaged, and its buildings, laboratories, machines and student dormitories have been destructed, and in many cases looted, due to the war.

As part of the recent peace agreement signed in Pretoria, South Africa, between the Federal Government and Tigray, Mekelle University is preparing to re-launch teaching, research and community service activities at full scale in September 2023. This will, however, need financial support to restore damaged and looted infrastructures such as buildings, laboratory equipment, office and classroom facilities, student cafeteria and dormitory facilities, university vehicles, etc.

In addition, as a result of the war, the termination of all public services and the total siege on Tigray since June 2021, university employees have not received their salaries for the last 18 months. University employees are not even able to withdraw whatever savings they have in the bank and help their families due to the shutdown of bank services in Tigray.

This has exposed Mekelle University staff to unprecedented social and economic challenges and made the livelihoods of these researchers and their families unbearable. There are at least more than 800 researchers on the main campus (Endayesus) alone who are struggling to put food on the table for their families.

As researchers who have collaborated with the University in past, we want to help our colleagues at Mekelle University, through fundraising. We welcome any contribution to these efforts.

Our research activities, mostly dedicated to the poorest areas of Tigray region, can be found in the following publications:

Castelli, G., & Bresci, E. (2017). Participatory Rural Appraisal for Diagnostic Analysis of spate irrigation systems in Raya Valley , Ethiopia. Journal of Agriculture and Rural Development in the Tropics and Subtropics, 118(1), 129–139. https://www.jarts.info/index.php/jarts/article/view/2017031552237

Castelli, G., Bresci, E., Castelli, F., Hagos, E. Y., & Mehari, A. (2018). A participatory design approach for modernization of spate irrigation systems. Agricultural Water Management, 210, 286–295. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2018.08.030

Villani, L., Castelli, G., Hagos, E. Y., & Bresci, E. (2018). Water productivity analysis of sand dams irrigation farming in northern Ethiopia. Journal of Agriculture and Environment for International Development, 112(1). LINK: https://www.jaeid.it/index.php/JAEID/article/view/726

Mesfin, S., Oliveira Almeida, L. A., Yazew, E., Bresci, E., & Castelli, G. (2019). Spatial Variability of Soil Moisture in Newly Implemented Agricultural Bench Terraces in the Ethiopian Plateau. Water, 11, 2134. https://doi.org/10.3390/w11102134

ITALIAN:
La Mekelle University è una delle migliori università pubbliche federali in Etiopia, ed è stata gravemente colpita dalla guerra nel Tigrai. L'università è stata tra le prime tre università pubbliche del paese, nota per i suoi programmi accademici, per i lavori di ricerca e per gli impegni più ampi per la comunità locali, negli ultimi venticinque anni dalla sua fondazione.

Ad oggi, tuttavia, l'Università non è in grado di accogliere studenti. Il suo personale accademico non è stato in grado di svolgere i normali compiti di insegnamento; ricerca e coinvolgimento della comunità sono stati interrotti; i suoi progetti di sviluppo sono stati interrotti o danneggiati; i suoi edifici, laboratori, veicoli e i dormitori degli studenti sono stati distrutti e molti sono stati saccheggiati a causa della guerra.

Nell'ambito del recente accordo di pace firmato a Pretoria, in Sud Africa, tra il governo federale e il Tigrai, la Mekelle University si prepara a lanciare le sue attività a pieno regime dopo 6 mesi. Ciò richiederà un sostegno finanziario per ripristinare le infrastrutture danneggiate e saccheggiate come edifici, laboratori, uffici e aule, mense e dormitori per studenti.

Inoltre, a causa della guerra, della cessazione di tutti i servizi pubblici e dell'assedio del Tigrai dal giugno 2021, tutti i dipendenti della Mekelle University non hanno ricevuto il loro stipendio negli ultimi 18 mesi. Non possono nemmeno ritirare i risparmi che hanno in banca e aiutare le loro famiglie a causa della chiusura dei servizi bancari nel Tigrai.

Ciò ha esposto il personale della Mekelle University a sfide sociali ed economiche senza precedenti e ha reso insopportabile il sostentamento di questi ricercatori e delle loro famiglie. Ci sono almeno più di 800 ricercatori nel solo campus principale (Endayesus) che stanno lottando per mettere in tavola il cibo per le loro famiglie.

Come ricercatori che hanno collaborato con l'Università in passato, vogliamo aiutare i nostri colleghi con una piccola raccolta fondi.

Testimonianze delle nostre attività di ricerca, per lo più dedicate alle aree più povere della regione del Tigrai, si trovano su:

Castelli, G., & Bresci, E. (2017). Participatory Rural Appraisal for Diagnostic Analysis of spate irrigation systems in Raya Valley , Ethiopia. Journal of Agriculture and Rural Development in the Tropics and Subtropics, 118(1), 129–139. https://www.jarts.info/index.php/jarts/article/view/2017031552237

Castelli, G., Bresci, E., Castelli, F., Hagos, E. Y., & Mehari, A. (2018). A participatory design approach for modernization of spate irrigation systems. Agricultural Water Management, 210, 286–295. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2018.08.030

Villani, L., Castelli, G., Hagos, E. Y., & Bresci, E. (2018). Water productivity analysis of sand dams irrigation farming in northern Ethiopia. Journal of Agriculture and Environment for International Development, 112(1). LINK: https://www.jaeid.it/index.php/JAEID/article/view/726

Mesfin, S., Oliveira Almeida, L. A., Yazew, E., Bresci, E., & Castelli, G. (2019). Spatial Variability of Soil Moisture in Newly Implemented Agricultural Bench Terraces in the Ethiopian Plateau. Water, 11, 2134. https://doi.org/10.3390/w11102134





Picture: Mekelle University buildings damaged by warfare




Picture: Mekelle University vehicles damaged by warfare




Picture: Mekelle University buildings hit by bullets

We will collect the money funded in our bank accounts to transfer it most safely and quickly to the responsible of the Institute for Water and Environment.

Giulio Castelli
Maria Bolognesi
Lorenzo Villani
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Organizer

Giulio Castelli
Organizer
Florence, Metropolitan City of Florence

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