After three months of delay, the funds for the first set of five projects under the Ethiopian Diaspora Trust Fund were released last week. The contractual agreement for five community development projects was signed between the ETDF and the five implementing firms in May after the winners were announced in February. The funding, which will be made in four tranches, was released last week. The first quarter installment amounting to 5.9 million Br was transferred directly to the bank accounts of the implementing organisations on Tuesday, August 11, 2020. The release of the funds was approved by the Advisory Council of EDTF (Friends of EDTF) on August 9, 2020. Worth a total of 56 million Br, the projects will be undertaken in Oromia, Amhara, Afar and Tigray regional states, as well as in Addis Abeba. The projects, which will be implemented in two years, aim to address early childhood care and education for orphans and vulnerable children, special needs education, safe water supply, hygiene and sanitation. The projects will be developed with five implementing partners of the ETDF, which will cover 15.5pc of the cost.