Where we come from

We are a group of concerned Oromo public intellectuals, activists, and opinion makers who have been encumbered (by the global Oromo Diaspora) with the responsibility to regroup, reorganize, and recast the strategic ways of supporting the struggle at home. Having noted that there needs to be a systematic and sustained support to the struggle; and having noted that the major types of support the diaspora can offer is financial, advocacy, and generation of ideas; we realized that it stands to reason for us to start with the work of providing an institutional home for our humanitarian efforts.

Purpose: What we want to do

The purpose of JIRRA PHFO is addressing the humanitarian needs of our people systematically, sustainably, and coherently. We believe that our bleeding nation deserves nothing less.

The overall objective of JIRRAA is:

a. To avoid wastage of resources (and duplication of efforts);

b. To prevent manipulation of our people’s kindness and exploitation of the masses by taking advantage of the suffering of our people at home; and

c. To overcome and avoid aid fatigue among our peoples by making their act of aid simple, regular, and manageable.

This is intended to make us effective in our support for our bleeding nation. By making our aid methodical, it will make it systematic, sustained, and coherent. Moreover, it ensures transparency and accountability. When the Permanent Fund becomes operational, we hope that there shall be a reduction of ad hoc fund raising schemes as such schemes won’t be necessary any more unless they are forced upon us owing to an outbreak of a sudden, urgent, and extreme humanitarian situation.

Specific Tasks: Areas of Humanitarian Focus

Based on the problems our people have experienced before and are experiencing now, we have identified the following key areas of need that may benefit from our Permanent Fund:

A. Medical Support Fund (fund to support the injured, the sick, and the traumatized);

B. Prisoners Support Fund (fund for supporting the convicts of political trials or the detainees accused of one or more of the political crimes Oromos are routinely accused of.

C. Legal Defense Fund (fund for the accused who may need lawyers, bail money, and money for fees and fines);

D. Solidarity Fund or Sympathy Fund (i.e., funds for expressing solidarity for the families of the deceased;

E. Displacement Fund (fund for the people evicted from their land, or displaced because of war, disaster, mass atrocities, etc);

F. Refugee Fund (i.e., fund for those seeking refugee status in the UNHCR--and to get admitted to the UN refugee Camps; or those seeking asylum and/or refuge in third countries); this aid includes aid for the paperless victims of human trafficking, or those who hop onto boats hoping to disembark in countries where they can seek asylum.

G. Relocation and Adjustment Fund for the New Migrant and/or new Asylum Seekers arriving in the West; this includes the support we need to provide to new arrivals who experience difficulties as they transition into a new life in the host country. We can call it a relocation support fund, or a resettlement support fund.

H. Student Fund: e.g. Fund for Oromo Students struggling after loss of scholarship, or after going to be on a bridging visa;

I. Disaster Fund: fund for victims of famine, epidemic, natural disaster, accident, etc.

J. Family (Social) Support Fund (fund to help facilitate family reunion, support for the newly married, separated, divorced, and physically and psychologically maladjusted/ dislocated).

What the JIRRA fund is not about

The primary aim of the Permanent Fund is one of addressing humanitarian needs. Consequently, the support for political, diplomatic, security objectives are to be pursued through other channels or departments of (the Agency within the auspices of) the Oromo World Congress (OWC).

Who We are

JIRRA PHFO is a non-profit organization. As such, it is governed by its constitution (adopted from the Victorian Model Rules for Clubs and Societies), its by laws, and the general laws pertaining to such humanitarian associations.

Governance Structure:

JIRRA’s governance structure comprises:

A) a Board of Trustees (BoT);

B) an Executive Board (EB);

C) A General Assembly (GA) of Members; and

D) An International Advisory Board (IAB).

Currently, JIRRA is being run by a Task Force that is facilitating the founding process as an Interim Board, and an Executive Team of five persons serving as the interim Executive Board.

Pending the addition of other members to join the Task Force from the various sections of the Oromo Community here in Melbourne and from the wider Australia, the current Task Force (alias the Interim Board of Trustees) is composed of:

1. Tufaha Ali

2. Damme Assefa

3. Shemsiya Waritu

4. Biiftuu Ali

5. Dasii Aliyi

6. Zebiba

7. Abdi Kemal

8. Atif Kennaa

9. Samir Sharif

10. Mohammed Nure

11. Fekadu Gelan

12. Kiley M. Ali