Addis Ababa — Ethiopia has taken another step toward improving rural livelihoods as Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali officially handed over newly completed model rural villages in the Halaba and Kembatta zones to their residents. The initiative forms part of the government’s Rainy Season Voluntary Scheme, designed to uplift farming communities through sustainable, modern housing.

The new villages feature homes powered by solar energy, with biogas systems for cooking derived from animal waste. Each unit includes independent living spaces, toilets, service quarters, and animal shelters, significantly enhancing hygiene and overall living conditions for rural families.

“These villages mark a promising beginning in transforming the lives of our farmers,” said Prime Minister Abiy. “Our Rural Corridor Initiative extends the progress we’ve made in urban areas to rural communities, raising living standards across Ethiopia.”

The Prime Minister praised local leadership for completing the Hambericho Mountain stairs, a community-led project initiated during his previous visit. He urged leaders to build on this momentum by expanding the model villages to 100 houses per zone next year through collaboration with partners and the Ethiopian diaspora.

Over the past seven years, Ethiopia’s Rainy Season Initiative has provided housing for vulnerable families in cities. Now, through the Rural Corridors Initiative, the program is bringing the same transformative development to farming communities—bridging progress between urban and rural Ethiopia.