Enhanced Rural self Help Association (ERSHA) is a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), registered in October 1997 and became operational in January 1998. The organization is re-registered in June 2019 as a local civil society organization with registration certificate number 1111 in accordance with the New CSO Proclamation 1113/2019. The organization was founded by a group of concerned professionals who had a great concern on the plight of the rural poor to join hands with like-minded actors to contribute their part for the development of the country.
ERSHA targeted poor rural people with major emphasis to women, children, people with disabilities, social minority groups.
ERSHA, since its establishment has been implemented different Integrated Rural Development projects/programs in Amhara, Oromia and Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples region with the overall objective of increasing household food security and enhancing resilience capacity of the local community, improve water supply, hygiene & sanitation, health and education services, enhancing socio economic situation of women, children, youths, social minority groups and enhancing capacity of the local government and grass root institutions. In addition, ERSHA also incorporated cross cutting issues such as climate change, gender, disability, HIV/AIDS, and the elderly in all its project interventions.
ERSHA is a member of national and international networks including Consortium of Christian Relief & Development Association (CCRDA), Basic Education Network (BEN), Population Health and Environment Ethiopia Consortium (PHE-EC), Consortium of Self Help Group Approach Prompters (COSAP), Global Network on Disaster Reduction (GNDR), Climate Change Consortium of Ethiopia (CCC), Sustainable Food System and Agro-ecology Consortium.