About MCDP

Mission for Community Development program (MCDP) is an Ethiopian Residents Charitable Organization founded in June 1998 by volunteer Ethiopian Nationalities and re-registered in Ethiopia (Reg. no. 0425). MCDP strives to bring a lasting change and improvement in the lives of the disadvantaged members of the community, with a principal emphasis on children and women through an integrated urban and rural development programs and with a robust participation of the community. Over the past two decades the organization made a steady progress expanding and scaling up its interventions into seven operational areas located in Addis Ababa, Oromia and SNNP regions.

MCDP’s programmatic framework is grounded by the “theory of change” that mainly posits the promotion and application of integrated urban and rural community-based development approaches to ensure sustainable change in the quality of life of the target groups. Accordingly, MCDP embarked on a range of intervention projects such as : prevention of child trafficking and child labour, women empowerment, women enterprise development, education, early childhood care and development, girls education, promotion of ICT for girls education, nutrition and sanitation, urban agriculture, natural resource management and climate change, prevention of unsafe migration and promotion of self-help group (SHG), village saving and loan association and saving and credit cooperatives (SACCO) approaches. Taken together, immense outcomes gained from these development interventions bestowed the organization to be a center for excellencein transforming the psychosocial and economic wellbeing of the substantial number of destitute children and women. Several organizations, including local and international NGOs, multilateral organizations, regional networks, government organizations, as well as higher education institutions frequently paid visit to MCDP’s project area to learn from its experience.

Executive Director

Vision

MCDP to see an empowered and pacific Ethiopian society

Mission

MCDP exists to contribute to the national effort of protecting and improving quality of life of the disadvantaged members of the community with more emphasis on children and women through integrated programs in the urban and rural settings.

Mission is to contribute towards bringing a long lasting change and improvement in the lives of members of the community with more emphasis on women and children, through integrated urban and rural development programs, with the participation of the community.

Core Values:

• Respect for personal dignity- We believe in a non-judgmental approach that respects the dignity and rights of those whom we engage with: staff, volunteers, members, partners and targeted groups.
• Participation: it is our belief to encourage children, community members and target beneficiaries, and all stakeholders to actively participate in the development intervention that affect their local development and needs;
• Accountability and transparency- We believe we should be responsible to each other and to the people and organizations with whom we engage and strive to make our work transparent and accountable.
• Integrity and honesty- We believe that our work should be undertaken with integrity, openness, honesty and professionalism.
• Gender sensitivity: We strive to ensure that gender responsive planning is pursued in the development projects it designs and implements with particular focus in addressing both the practical and strategic needs of girls and women and it mainstreams gender in its organizational structure;
• Openness to learning- We believe in remaining open minded, continuing to learn from stakeholders and partners, while continuing to remain passionate and enthusiastic about our work.
• Equality, justice and human rights- We believe in an equal and just society where people live in peace and dignity and have access to the necessary resources and opportunities for sustainable growth.
• Partnership and Networking:We believe in the strategic partnership, effectiveness and bringing synergy in its achievement manifested in changes brought about in the development of its target beneficiaries;
• Compliance with the NGO Code of Conduct: MCDP ensures that the NGO code of conducts are respected and abided by while implementing its program and promoting its organization;
• Sensitivity to Environmental Protection: MCDP strives to mitigate and protect the environmental threats in its program operational areas;
• Sustainability:- We believe in independence and long-term solutions to problems through sustainable projects.
• Non-discrimination: We believe that all members of the society are treated equally.

Strategic Goal

To attain its mission, MCDP’s programs are aimed at bringing sustainable impact on improved living conditions and the protection of children and women in targeted intervention areas by 2023.

Programmatic Issues/Thematic Areas

1. Livelihoods Support and Development
2. Early Childhood Care and Education
3. Prevention of Irregular Migration and Child Trafficking
4. Peace Building/Conflict Management: -(Seeding Peace in Children, women and Families)

Governance

The structure of MCDP has three main governing organs: the General Assembly, the Board of Directors, and the Executive Office. The General Assembly is the supreme organ of the organization which gives ultimate decision and approval on broader organizational issues. The Board of Directors is responsible for policy making, and strategic follow up of implementation of developmental programs of MCDP. The Executive contains the office secretariats led by the Executive Director and is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the organization.

Staffing

Congruent to its vision, mission and values, MCDP Human Resource & Administration (HRA) has the main duties of supporting the operations of the organization so as to ensure meeting its set objectives through the most valuable resources – its staff. More specifically, the works of the HRA covers people management, procurement & logistics, program operations, fleet management as well as facilities and office services.

Although the number of staff shows increment and decrease, depending on the volume of project activities, currently there are 56 (22 males and 34 females) staffs working for the organization.

Areas of Operational Presence:

• Addis Ababa City Government:
  • Addis Ketemas Sub-city, Woreda 4,6, and 9,
  • Kirkos Sub-city, Woreda 4, 9 & 10,
  • Nifas Silk Lafto Sub-city, Woreda 5 & 6,
  • Arada Sub-city, Woreda 5 & 10,
  • LidetaSub-city, Woreda 5 & 7,
  • Gulele Sub-city, Woreda 1,2,3,5 & 6,
  • Bole Sub-city, Woreda 7 & 9.
• Southern Nation Nationalities People Regional State (SNNPR):
  • Chencha and
  • Ditta Woredas
  • DeraMallo Woreda
  • Arbaminch town
• Oromiya National Regional State:
  • Sebeta town Administration
  • WolleteArea

Networking

MCDP is an active member of the following National, Regional and International networks:

National Membership

• Consortium of Christian Relief and Development Association /CCRDA: Ethical Panel Committee Members, Urban Development Forum and Youth and Children Forum
• Consortium of the Self Help Group Approach Promoters (CoSAP), Board Member)
• Union of Ethiopian Women Charitable Association(UEWCA), board member

Regional Membership

• IGAD, CSO/NGO Forum Chair;
• SIHA (Strategic Initiatives for Women Leaders in the Horn of Africa) Member;
• G-40 (The Involvement of Women in Peace and Security) Member;
• African Movement for Working Children and Youth( AMCWY), Observatory Status in African Union(AU).

International Membership:

• Soroptimist International Club Member( Addis Ababa Soroptimist International Branch Club)
• Global Modern Slavery Coalition

Organization Policies and Guidlines

MCDP has developed and employed different policies and guidelines that are relevant to its work. Only the major ones are listed here.

Human Resources and Management Policy

Since its establishment, MCDP has developed and employed different organizational structures and human resource guidelines to facilitate the smooth operation of its programs. The human resources and management policy provides clear guidelines for managing the organization’s human resource functions and systems to attract, develop and retain staff. Periodic review and assessments of these structures is being carried out in order to ensure that it best addresses the organization’s human resource needs and its major functions. The guiding principles of MCDP’s human resource management include:

• Ensuring that MCDP’s human resource management is a strategic component of the organization’s planning and operations.
• Effectively retaining and recruiting qualified individuals based on equal opportunity principle, competence and ability to meet the organization’s needs.
• Becoming a learning organization and creating continuous learning opportunities for its employees.
• Providing a conducive working environment where employees can be safe, secure and productive in support of MCDP’s mission.
• Ensuring employees are well informed about MCDP’s strategic objectives and receive regular feedback on how their work aligned and contribute to the achievement of the organization’s objectives.
• Recognizing and rewarding employees based on their contributions to MCDP’s objectives.

Financial Management

MCDP has a financial guideline that governs financial matters and has put in place the necessary procedures, policies and guidelines in accordance to internationally accepted standards. The financial guideline, therefore, provides for the effective budgeting, recording and financial reporting system and control procedures in line with the financial reporting system and procedures of its donors, partners and government requirements. The financial statements of thee organization are audited by an external auditor that is appointed by the Board. The annual financial year starts in January and ends in December in Gregorian calendar.

Child Protection Policy (CPP)

MCDP’s Child Protection Policy (CPP) is developed based on child protection policy framework formulated by the result of a rapid assessment which was conducted to review of the current child protection policies and practices of the child protection consortium members in Ethiopia. This child protection policy is believed to serve as a guideline for MCDP while working in various projects that addressing children problem. The policy concerns with the minimum requirements and standards as well as major child protection policy issues that any child protection policy document must incorporate.

It also provides MCDP with useful models in dealing with disclosures, reporting procedures and steps to follow in case of a problem and simple best behavioral practices towards protection of children. MCDP’s core values reflect a commitment to the protection and dignity of every child. Any form of child abuse constitutes a violation of the fundamental values of MCDP.

Gender Policy

This policy outlines the Mission for Community Development Program’s (MCDP) stand on how to best integrate gender equality strategies in its daily activities. It promotes the principles of gender equality provided in the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, 1979, (CEDAW); the Beijing Platform for Action from the Fourth World Conference on Women (1995); the Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989); and the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security (2000).

This gender policy defines MCDP’s commitment to advance gender equality through its daily activities, as it believes it will enhance program and organizational effectiveness and improve its contribution to the favorable environment for children.

Through this policy MCDP commits to ensuring that:

• The contributions of both boys and girls and women and men are visible and valued
• Both boys and girls are listened to and exercise influence and,
• Boys and girls, women and men have equal access to and benefit from education, health care and protection
• Create a workplace environment, which promotes gender equality and empowers women
• Voices and interest of male and female staff heard and treated equally

Monitoring and Evaluation Guideline /Framework

The overall purpose of this Monitoring and Evaluation Framework is to lay a ground for Mission for Community Development (MCDP) to follow up on the different projects under implementation as well, to improve planning, monitoring and evaluation (P, M&E) activities to achieve the desired goals. Therefore, this guideline includes a general introduction about the organization, the objective and the scope of the M&E framework, justification, details on organizational work plan, and Monitoring report outline.

Resource Mobilization Strategy Manual

The overall aim of the resource mobilization manual is to: build the confidence and skills required by MCDP to strategically and systematically mobilize resources for its project and program. The manual provides information and skills-building activities which can help MCDPs from multiple diminutions.