EMRDA conducted the Community Change Agents training in four woredas of Oromia Region.

One of the main activities of the ENGINE (Empowering New Generations to Improve Nutrition and Economic Opportunities) pilot project of the JHU-CCP is capacitating Community Change Agents [CCAs] and supports them to facilitate community conversation in their respective kebeles. To this effect, EMRDA conducted the Community Change Agents training for consecutive five days in the four woredas of Oromia region (Shirka, Limuna Bilbilo, Woliso and Becho) from 30th August-3rd September, 2013. During the training, a total of 120 Community conversation facilitators were participated from 12 pilot kebeles of these woredas. The key project stakeholders such as woreda Health office and Agricultural offices were also invited in the opening and closing sessions of the training to enable them to understand the process.

The training was given using existing training guides and Job Aids that focused on social and behavioral change communication, community conversation and evidence based nutrition messages. The trainees were very happy by the training and were giving positive feedbacks. Most of the trainees said that the training was very interesting, useful and they have gained new knowledge. Since this training will change their life if taken in to practice, the trainees promised in changing their nutrition style for a better generation.

The training was conducted based on the available resource and required standard.Furthermore, the remaining basic activity-mobilizing the target community for Mother Infant Youth and Children Nutrition (MICYN) through community conversation needs genuine coordination and collaboration among EMRDA staffs both at field site and head office, trained community change agents, and stakeholders at woreda and kebele level.