Wereilu Project Area
South Wello zone is one of the ten administrative zones of Amhara National regional state. The zone is divided in to 20 Rural Woredas, 3 city administrations, 50 urban kebeles, and 498 rural kebeles, Dessie town being one of the three city administrations and the center of the administrative zone.
According to the information obtained from Finance and economic development department (FEDD) of the zone, the total population of the zone as it stands in 2017 is 2,992,426, out of which 1,522,170 are male and 1,470,256 are female.
Wereilu woreda is found about 95 Kms from Dessie, the centre of the zone, and 495 kms from the capital Addis Ababa and at a distance of 295 Kms from Addis Ababa on the road through Mida to Dessie, which is not asphalted. Information obtained from the FEDD of the zone shows that the total population of the woreda as of 2017 is 127, 041. Out of this 63,688 are males and 63553 are females.
The woreda is further subdivided in to 20 rural and 3 urban kebeles consisting of 24,782 households, of which 17029 are male headed and 7753 are female headed households. The information from the FEDD also indicates that the total land area of Wereilu woreda is 68240 hectares. Out of this, 32,329 hectares is agricultural land, 1,580 hectares is bush land, 12,520 is barren land and 3,624 hectares is grazing land.
MELCA-Ethiopia began work in the project Rural livelihood enhancement project-Wereillu since 2018. Currently MELCA-Ethiopia undertakes different programs in the project area including promoting agro-ecological practices and alternative income generation activities.