A Seat at the Table with ENP

ENP is thrilled to announce a new program and partnership launched this month! One of ENP’s core objectives is the empowerment of the Ethiopian-Israeli community as a means to advance full integration into Israeli society. As such, and with the support of the German Federal Foreign Office’s funds by ifa (Institut für Auslandsbeziehungen), funding Programme zivik, ENP has crafted the ENP Municipal Leadership and Community Advocacy Training Program for Ethiopian-Israelis. The program aims to increase representation of Ethiopian-Israelis in municipal councils and state parliament and to encourage the community's political participation as part of local decision-making bodies. The program trains and empowers members of the Ethiopian-Israeli community who wish to become politically involved and serve as advocates for the community in municipal and state bodies, in a series of 10 workshops and through practical application in the form of a group project. Through training, guidance and practical work in the field, participants will be empowered to make an impact through municipal committees and pursue seats in municipal councils. Implemented in four cities in Israel -- Beer Sheva, Petach Tikvah, Ashkelon and Ashdod -- the program is firmly underway with dozens of participants taking part in this important project.

Leading the program on behalf of ENP is Orit Taya, an Ethiopia-born social activist dedicated to making a difference and empowering the Ethiopian-Israeli community. Orit has a BA in Communications from the Interdisciplinary Center in Herzliya, and an MA in Business Administration from the Peres Academic Center in Rehovot. Having joined ENP in March 2021, Orit is responsible for carrying out and overseeing the program in the field. "ENP Municipal Leadership and Community Advocacy Training provides tools for activists who want to take their activism one step forward," says Orit. "I'm a great believer in getting in the ring and changing things from the inside. In order to make a difference you need a seat at a table, and in our case that means playing a part in the various municipal committees and making decisions for the benefit of the community."