Culture, Heritage, Tourism, History, and Sports Development

The Kambata Development Association (KDA) has made significant contributions to socio-cultural development as well as relief and rehabilitation over the past three decades. In the cultural sphere, KDA has promoted language, history, art, and heritage by funding and distributing a Kambata history book and the Kambatissa grammar book, which is now used in schools and government offices across the Zone, thereby addressing the shortage of teaching resources. The Association also produced cultural documentaries, traditional hat (Quome) projects, and music video clips such as Wogane, Habame, Manderame, and Bari-Bari, preserving and promoting the community’s cultural identity. On the relief and rehabilitation side, KDA has supported thousands of vulnerable people affected by disasters, conflict, and displacement. It assisted over 28,000 people displaced during the fall of the Derg regime, provided rehabilitation support for more than 300 households affected by fire disasters, and extended emergency and long-term aid to 30,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) who fled to Kambata Zone following ethnic clashes, especially in 2019. In collaboration with the Zonal administration, KDA mobilized food, materials, and funds to save lives, and later invested in sustainable rehabilitation, constructing a health center and classroom blocks in schools at the IDPs’ settlement. Furthermore, through coordinated advocacy, KDA successfully pushed the regional government to build an access road in Decha Woreda of Kafa Zone, improving security and access to social services. These combined efforts demonstrate the Association’s commitment to preserving cultural heritage, empowering communities, and providing life-saving relief in times of crisis.