It is common knowledge that many Ethiopians living in the United Kingdom face a range of social welfare, immigration, health, education/training and employment and other family-related challenges. Many are not aware how to access services and get the support they need to successfully settle and integrate into the host society. The situation therefore required some response within our community.

A group of Ethiopians realized that it was incumbent on them to help address the needs of fellow Ethiopians to overcome these challenges. With this in mind, they set up a task force to facilitate and co-ordinate the provision of a range of support services for Ethiopians in the UK.

Over the last three years members of the task force held several meetings and had intense and lengthy discussions and debates on how to bring together our community members and organise and facilitate the provisions of services.

Taking into consideration the recent polarizations and divisions in our community, the members strongly felt that among the many forms of mutual-help associations familiar to Ethiopians IDIR is the best option that can bring together Ethiopians from every walk of life, irrespective of their political affiliations, ethnicity, religion, gender, etc.  Once formally set up, members believed that the IDIR can be used as a conduit to reach and support Ethiopians in need of other community welfare provisions.

Ethiopians have a long tradition of setting up IDIR in areas/villages they live or in their workplaces to help each other during the death of a member and/or his/her close family members.

IDIR is even more important among Ethiopians who live in exile with no close family members around to provide them with financial support, comfort and solace to overcome their grief and loss.

Here in the UK, it has been common practice to collect money during church services, in restaurants and through Gofunding to cover funeral costs or to repatriate the body to Ethiopia. Apart from lack of financial resources it has been witnessed how families find it difficult to deal with the funeral arrangement and other associated processes.

To begin with, members of the task force floated the idea of setting up IDIR among their cohorts and friends, and received very positive initial responses.

Furthermore, the task force invited some individuals who expressed interest, and held the meeting with potential members on the 7th of December 2019.  About 50 people attended the first meeting, and after a thorough and open discussions, it was agreed to form the IDIR.

The attendees also agreed to draft a Governing Document, to publicize and promote the idea of IDIR among friends and fellow Ethiopians, to name the IDIR Ethiopians Welfare Association in UK – so that Ethiopians support each other (not only in death but in other community welfare issues).

A board member that consisted of nine members was formed to further discuss and implement the above agreements.  The board had numerous virtual and face-to-face meetings for over two years, and it also involved the founding members in some of its discussions.   It was then agreed to name the IDIR “Egna Legna Idir”, and after a long delay due to the Covid lockdown, the IDIR was finally and officially formed in May 2022.

 

Aims of Egna Legna IDIR

The main aim of Egna Legna Idir is to make a death benefit payment in case of a death of  IDIR member,  or  his/her spouse,  or his/her children who are under the age of 25 and who live with the member at the time of death.  

Whenever possible members of the IDIR assist in the funeral arrangements of the deceased  and give comfort to the families. 

Constitution of the IDIR

In order to fulfil it’s aims The IDIR has a constitution that was approved by the founding members, and it stipulates how the IDIR is governed and managed. In accordance with the constitution, the IDIR recruits members and collects registration fees and monthly contributions from its members to provide the financial support to next of kin of the deceased member.

For further detail please refer to the attached constitution

 

The organisational chart and board members of the IDIR

The IDIR’s activities are run and managed by 11 Board Members elected by members at AGM every three years.  The details of the board members and  the organisational chart of the IDIR are as follows.