SOUTHERN NATIONS NATIONALITIES AND PEOPLES REGION

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The Southern Nations Nationalities and Peoples' Regional State (SNNPR-purple color on the map above) is the third largest administrative region of Ethiopia and represents about 20% of the country's population with close to 20 million people. It is also the most diverse region in the country in terms of language, culture and ethnic background. According to the 2007 census figures, about 93% of the population is rural.

Administratively the Region is divided into 14 zones (zone= state) and 4 special woredas (woreda = district or county), with a total of 131 woredas, 22 city administrations, 3,602 rural kebeles (kebele= smallest administrative unit) and 324 urban kebeles. The region has an area of 118,000 sq. km, which comprises 10% of the total area of the country.

KEMBATA-TEMBARO, HADIYA, HALABA and WOLAYITA

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WEEMA's programs are located specifically in the zones of Kembata-Tembaro, Hadiya, and Wolayita as well as Habala Special Woreda within SNNPR. The map above highlights these area.

Population (approx):

Kembata-Tembaro- 1,100,000
Hadiya- 1,300,000
Wolayita- 1,500,000
Halaba (Alaba) Special Wordea- 250,000

Most people living in these areas survive as subsistence farmers. These farmers and their families remain very vulnerable to Ethiopia's cyclical droughts- droughts that are intensifying due to climate change.