The Hawassa Industrial Park Investors Association, in partnership with GIZ Sustainable Industrial Cluster, has officially adopted a comprehensive policy aimed at combating sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse within the park’s factories. This initiative seeks to raise awareness about these issues, promote preventive measures, and foster a safe and respectful environment for all employees. The policy marks a significant step forward in ensuring the well-being of workers at Hawassa Industrial Par
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Step into the vibrant world of Hawassa Industrial Park (HIP), where factories not only contribute significantly to Ethiopia’s foreign currency earnings and GDP, but also serve as catalysts for job creation on a massive scale. These factories are not just economic powerhouses; they are also sources of immense pride as they proudly bear the label ‘Made in Ethiopia.’ Their products have found their way onto the shelves of prestigious retailers in America, Europe, and Canada, effectively showcasing the quality and craftsmanship of our nation to the world. But the impact of these factories goes beyond economic success. They are committed to the well-being of their workers and actively engage in various corporate social responsibility initiatives. From empowering women through dedicated programs to organizing blood donation drives and participating in numerous charitable activities, these companies are making a tangible difference in the lives of their employees and the communities they operate in. Blood donation campaign at Indochine Facility The factories at HIP are not just about production and profit; they are about creating a positive ripple effect that extends far beyond their walls. By prioritizing the welfare of their workers and actively giving back to society, these factories are setting a shining example for others to follow. They are not just shaping the future of Ethiopia’s industrial landscape; they are also shaping a brighter and more inclusive future for all. So, let us celebrate the remarkable achievements of Hawassa Industrial Park and the factories within it. They are not only driving economic growth and putting Ethiopia on the global map, but they are also making a lasting impact on the lives of their workers and the communities they serve. Together, they are transforming the face of industry and proving that success can be achieved hand in hand with social responsibility. In a groundbreaking collaboration between the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the Ethiopian Business Disability Network, a transformative workshop on maternal health and disability inclusion was held, bringing together all the factories at Hawassa Industrial Park (HIP) and other key stakeholders. This workshop served as a platform to recognize HIP as a trailblazer among industrial parks in Ethiopia. The factories within HIP have gone above and beyond to create disability-inclusive workplaces, employing individuals with disabilities and implementing reasonable accommodations to ensure their working environments are tailored to their needs. Let’s take a look at some of these companies that have championed disability inclusion and maternal health and have created a healthy and happy working atmosphere in their factories. Hela: Nurturing Mothers and Embracing Inclusivity Hela Sumbi is the largest bra manufacturer in East Africa and its subsidiary company Hela produces women’s panties. The company has launched a women empowerment project known as ‘Unleash her’. This project has various schemes to keep the well-being of women workers and ultimately empower them to be productive members of the society. Step into the extraordinary world of Hela, where compassion and inclusivity reign supreme. This remarkable factory not only produces exceptional intimate apparel but also goes above and beyond to prioritize the well-being of its employees, particularly pregnant mothers. Recognizing the critical importance of nutrition during pregnancy, Hela provides free nutritious meals to expectant mothers every single day. This thoughtful gesture ensures that both the mother and the precious life growing within her womb receive the essential nutrients needed for a healthy journey. But Hela’s commitment doesn’t stop there. Once a pregnant worker reaches the five-month mark, they are relieved from engaging in heavy tasks, allowing them to focus on their well-being and the well-being of their unborn child. To further support their journey, Hela’s dedicated medical team provides comprehensive prenatal care throughout the entire pregnancy, ensuring that every mother receives the attention and care they deserve. But Hela’s dedication to maternal health doesn’t end with childbirth. After giving birth, new mothers are granted two hours of paid time every day to breastfeed their babies. This invaluable support not only promotes the health and bonding between mother and child but also recognizes the importance of this precious time in a baby’s early development. To make this process even more seamless, Hela goes the extra mile by facilitating transportation for these mothers, ensuring they can easily commute to and from work while still prioritizing their little ones. However, Hela’s commitment to inclusivity extends far beyond maternal health. They have created an inclusive work environment by actively employing individuals with disabilities. By embracing diversity and providing equal opportunities, Hela sets an inspiring example for other companies to follow. Their dedication to inclusivity not only enriches the lives of their employees but also fosters a culture of acceptance and understanding within the workplace. Pregnant workers having nutritious meal at Hela and medical checkup at the factory’s clinic EPIC Group: Empowering Women and Embracing Diversity at HIP Prepare to be amazed by the incredible strides made by EPIC Group, a multinational company specializing in men’s, women’s and children’s clothing production at Hawassa Industrial Park (HIP). Not only are they creating a huge impact in revolutionizing the garment industry in Ethiopia , but they are also leading the charge in empowering women through their groundbreaking project, ‘enate ena lije’. EPIC Group understands the importance of supporting pregnant mothers, just like their esteemed counterpart, Hela. At their state-of-the-art clinics, EPIC Group offers comprehensive pre and post-natal medical checkups, guaranteeing that every mother receives the utmost care and attention during this transformative journey. But EPIC Group’s commitment to pregnant mothers doesn’t stop there. They go above and beyond by providing special meals four times a day, tailored to meet the unique nutritional needs of expectant mothers. Recognizing the importance of rest, EPIC Group also grants pregnant mothers the right to a one-hour break at their clinic facility, allowing them to recharge and prioritize their health. EPIC Group also take a compassionate approach to address the challenges faced by single mothers, offering guidance and raising awareness to prevent any involvement in abortion. Moreover, EPIC Group provides financial support to these courageous single
76 female factory workers graduates after attending 48 hours of personal advancement and career enhancement training( PACE). 50 female Century Garment and 26 JPT textile female workers respectively graduated on May 14/2022 after attending 48 hours personal advancement and career enhancement training . The girls have been pursuing soft skill and life skill trainings and they have been obtaining courses on communication, problem solving and decision making, Time and stress management, WASH, Financial literacy, Excursion and excellence. During the graduation, the girls have given their testimonies by saying that the training have provided them the opportunity to be empowered socially, economically and in others aspects of their lives. The training was organized by CARE Ethiopia in collaboration with PVH and JPT Textile and Century Garments.
International worker’s day ( May day) was commemorated at Hawassa Industrial Park on May 3/2022 with the presence of Ethiopian Confederation president, officials of Sidam Regional State, park management and HIP workers. During the celebration, the park was commended due to the fact that 80 percent of companies at HIP are unionized. It was also reiterated the importance of strengthening trade unions so as to promote collective bargaining and ultimately ensuring industrial peace. The day was marked for the 143th time at an international level and 47th time in Ethiopia with the motto of “Workers unionization for industrial peace, productivity and improved standard of living.”
A Consensus was reached to continue the current cooperation between HIPIA , Hawassa University, TVET, and public colleges in improving the employability of fresh graduates in HIP under the develop PPP program that will come to an end on 1st of July 2022. Following a workshop organised in Hawassa on April 20/2022, HIPIA has signed a memorandum of understanding between Hawassa University, Polytechnic college, and TVET colleges. The develop PPP program funded by GIZ and PVH and executed by HIPIA since 2018 has been linking government educational institutes with Hawassa Industrial Park through facilitating internships, externships as well as by paying pocket money to those interns who engage on the job training. This program will come to an end on the 1st of July 2022. The memorandum of understanding is believed to sustain the training and job opportunities for graduates in the future. These opportunities have enhanced the employability of students and as of today out of 550 total internships in HIP, 100 have led to a job at the park. Hawassa Industrial Park Investor Association in partnership with GIZ has also been developing a career service center whose objective is to provide better qualified lower and middle managers to factories with the help of the center.
International women’s day was commemorated at Hawassa Industrial Park. The day was celebrated with events, speech and other programs in a way that honor the work and achievement of women to achieve their full potential at the park. International women’s day was marked with motto of ‘break the bias’ in an effort to break the discrimination against women in communities, work places and families so forth. This event was organized by Plan Internation Ethiopia in collaboration with Investors Association and IPDC.
Frequent behavioral change campaigns organized at the park have motivated workers to get vaccinated. Covid 19 pandemic remains to be one of the greatest challenges affecting the well-being of workers across the globe. The impact of the virus is particularly detrimental to manufacturing industry considering the fact that the nature of the industry exposes workers to work in close contact. In response to this, Hawassa Industrial Park in partnership with its project partners has carried out a range of activities to combat the effect of the pandemic both at park and in the community. What action taken to curb the impact of Covid 19 pandemic at HIP and in the community? Training of the trainer was given to 23 Hawassa Industrial Park nurses and first aid safety workers. Refresher training was also provided to 43 Sidama regional and Hawassa city health care workers on contact tracing, Covid 19 surveillance, risk communication in Arbaminch. The training mainly focused on Covid 19 surveillance mechanism, risk communication, case detection and isolation at the workplace with both theoretically as well as practical methods. Behavioural changing campaignswere also conducted in seven kebeles in Hawassa through van’s mobility for 10 consecutive days by travelling in areas where our employees spend their spare time, such as in market areas, residential areas, grain grinding places, crowded roads and at the entrance and exit of the two gates of Hawassa Industrial Park. Likewise, behavioural change campaigns on Covid 19 were also organized with popular comedians 54 banners on the pandemic precautionary measures and 56 banner messages on the efficacy of the vaccine were published and disseminated. 2 billboards were produced and posted around the gate. 40 foot-operated dispensers along with 500 litter of sanitiser were distributed to companies at Hawassa Industrial Park on 2 June 2021. 2 hand-washing stations and 60 litter of sanitiser have also been provided for IPDC. Audio material spot was also developed in Amharic and Sidamic Languages and transmitted through the park community radio. Big mask event was organized and thank you certificates were given to 53 Sidama regional and Hawassa city front line health care workers and a Big mask event was organized and thank you certificates were given to 53 Sidama regional and Hawassa city front health care workers and administrative members and institutions.
Please check out Ethiopian Investment Comission’s (EIC) COVID-19 dedicated tab which includes latest Government Measures and other business related resources Learn More We are happy to share with you the PPE Calculator which is now ready and available on IFC PPE website: It is an easy and fast way for companies to evaluate Capex and working capital needs when planning to start PPE production.
Different awareness programs were provided to Hawassa Industrial Park workers starting from End of January by the Investors Association. Some of the major ones are as follows: Coordinating with EPHI team, regional health bureau health and Hawasssa city administration health department representatives several physical trainings were given to the workers in their respective factories.Workers,HRs,Nurses were trained. The trainings were given to all 22 companies that exist in the park in various sessions. Audio awarness is being provided through the Park FM Radio – Audio content was donated to us by the John Hopkins University Several awareness material (using WHO and MOH guidelines) has been distributed to workers in three rounds Total amount of awareness material distributed was 90,000 brochures of various kinds of awareness messages A community outreach in collaboration with Investors Association, IPDC and Enterprise partners was conducted in 10 sub-city of Hawassa where most of the park workers lives. The Hawassa Industrial Park Investors Association had distributed 35,000 anti bacterial soaps to all workers in the park on May 7th 2020 The Hawassa Industrial Park Investors Association donated faced masks with a cost of 600,000ETB to both Hawassa City Administration and SNNPR on 21st May 2020.
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