The Community-led Accelerated Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Project Phase Four successfully concluded its annual planning workshop last week in Bishoftu, laying the groundwork for the upcoming Ethiopian Fiscal Year (EFY). Held from April 8th to 10^th, 2025, the three-day event brought together 52 participants, including key personnel from all eight project regions across Ethiopia and the Federal Technical Assistance Team (FTAT). The workshop served as a crucial platform for collaboration and strategic planning.

The event kicked off on Tuesday, April 8th, with regional teams presenting comprehensive progress reports, highlighting achievements and identifying challenges from the past year. This review set the stage for focused planning sessions.

Presentations on different key topics were also conducted by the FTAT during the workshop fostering knowledge sharing among the participants. Mussie Hailegeorgis, COWASH IV’s Climate & Environment Risks and Water Safety Specialist, delivered a key presentation on integrating climate resilience into WASH programming. Following this, Mulatie Yinager, the project’s SME & Microfinance Institution Specialist, discussed the vital role and implementation of WASH Saving and Loan Associations in ensuring sustainability.  Sari Aroalho, Project Management and Development Advisor at COWASH IV, also delivered a presentation on how to collect and input geographical coordinates.

Participants also engaged in detailed planning sessions and had the opportunity to interact directly with representatives from the Embassy of Finland during a dedicated question-and-answer session. Throughout the workshop, COWASH IV’s six-part documentary series, “Transforming Lives, Empowering Communities,” screened provided inspiration by showcasing the real-world impact of the project.

Participants highlighted the workshop’s value beyond planning. “This annual planning meeting helps us meet all regional staff in one place, plan together, hear different perspectives, and share experiences, especially on working under pressure,” said Ermiyas Mulgueta, WASH SLA Specialist at COWASH IV. Abeba Asegede, a CMP specialist with the project, added that the workshop was a crucial event, providing a chance to get updates on work progress and share experiences from different regions. It particularly helped them to get updated on how well the project is progressing nationally and how its community-managed approach builds ownership, enabling effective work despite challenges, said Abeba. She also noted the event fostered team spirit and collaboration among staff from diverse regions.

With detailed action plans now being finalized, COWASH IV is poised to continue its impactful work in improving water, sanitation, and hygiene access across Ethiopia in the coming year.