Whereas the Self Help Group (SHG) approach was first introduced in Ethiopia between 2004 -2005 by the Ethiopian Kale Heywet Church Humanitarian Aid and Development Commission (EKHC-HADC), with financial support from Tearfund, initiating a transformative grassroots development model in Adama City through the establishment of five SHGs comprising 100 women;

Recognizing the remarkable expansion and enduring impact of this pioneering initiative—which has since evolved into a nationwide movement encompassing more than 17,847 SHGs across Ethiopia, reaching 16 major urban centers and 47 rural districts, and forming a comprehensive, community-based development framework;

Acknowledging Adama City as the birthplace and leading hub of the SHG movement since 2004, with its innovative model replicated both nationally and internationally, and currently consisting of 273 SHGs organized into 27 Cluster Level Associations (CLAs) and three Federation Level Associations (FLAs), positively impacting an estimated 53,325 individuals;

Recalling that, in September 2021, the Oromia Regional Government formally recognized the SHG approach as a strategic development framework under Proclamation No. 212/2014, thereby mandating the Oromia Social Affairs Office to oversee, support, and institutionalize SHG structures—addressing a critical gap in formal recognition and coordination;

Considering the need for a unified, locally governed platform to consolidate the voices, experiences, and aspirations of SHGs, CLAs, and FLAs in Adama, and with the technical and financial support of Warande Advisory Center/The Share Trust, the three FLAs jointly initiated the establishment of Yenege Tesfa Self Help Collectives (YT-SHC)—a locally rooted women led charitable organization committed to advancing community-driven development aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), through strategic, results-based, and context-responsive programming;

Now, therefore, we, the 273 Self Help Groups of Adama, as the founding members and rightful stakeholders, unite under the name Yenege Tesfa Self Help Collectives (YT-SHC). This organization represents our collective voice and vision, democratically governed through a three-tier structure: 273 SHGs, consolidated into 27 CLAs, and further into 3 FLAs. Each CLA comprises 5 to 10 SHGs, represented by elected members from within the groups, while each FLA includes two representatives carefully selected from each CLA.

This bylaw is hereby adopted as the foundational legal and administrative constitution of YT-SHC, establishing the principles of participatory governance, transparency, accountability, and sustainability. It shall serve as the guiding framework in our shared mission to promote economic empowerment, social equity, and civic engagement—locally rooted and globally connected