Sendafa

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Sendafa-Beke
Sandafaa (Oromo)
Town
Sendafa-Beke is located in Ethiopia
Sendafa-Beke
Sendafa-Beke
Location within Ethiopia
Sendafa-Beke is located in Africa
Sendafa-Beke
Sendafa-Beke
Sendafa-Beke (Africa)
Coordinates: 9°9′N 39°2′E / 9.150°N 39.033°E / 9.150; 39.033
Country Ethiopia
Region Oromia
ZoneOromia Special Zone
Elevation
2,514 m (8,248 ft)
Population
 (2025)
 • Total
142,000
Time zoneUTC+3 (EAT)

Sendafa-Beke (Oromo: Sandafaa-Beke) is a town and special district in the Oromia Region of Ethiopia. It was established in 2015 following the administrative merger of the towns of Sendafa and Beke. The name Sendafa is derived from an Oromo term referring to a type of thick, jointed grass or reed that commonly grows in swampy areas. The name Beke also originates from the Oromo language and means “the place,” reflecting local geographical and environmental associations.

Located in the Oromia Special Zone Surrounding Finfinne of the Oromia Region, Sendafa has a latitude and longitude of 9°09′N 39°02′E / 9.150°N 39.033°E / 9.150; 39.033 with an elevation of 2514 meters above sea level. The town lies on the paved Addis Ababa - Adigrat highway, some 38 kilometers north of the capital.

Sendafa-Beke has a total population of approximately 142,000, according to the Mayor’s Office. The town is administratively divided into four Gandaas (Kebeles), which are the smallest local administrative units. These units function as neighborhood-level community administrations and are responsible for delivering basic government services, including education, health, and public security, while serving as the primary link between residents and government authorities.

Sendafa-Beke plays a local and peri-urban role. It is an important local administrative and residential town; it lies within the strong sphere of influence of Addis Ababa, which is Ethiopia’s leading economic, political, and cultural center. Many residents of Sendafa commute to Addis Ababa for work, higher education, specialized healthcare, and other cultural activities.

Sendafa-Beke Town has a diverse economic, ethnic, and religious profile shaped by its proximity to Addis Ababa and its location within the Oromia Region. Economically, the town’s residents are engaged in a mix of agriculture, small-scale trade, services, manufacturing, and commuting-based employment, with some people working in Addis Ababa while residing in Sendafa-Beke. Ethnically, the population is mixed, with the Oromo forming the majority , alongside significant Amhara and other Ethiopian ethnic communities, reflecting patterns of urbanization and migration. Religiously, Sendafa-Beke is similarly diverse. followers of Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity are significant majority while Muslim and Protestant Christianity forming the main religious communities. This combination of economic activity and social diversity characterizes the town as a growing peri-urban center with strong links to the national capital.

Whether/Climate

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Sendafa-Beke experiences a generally moderate climate, with mild temperatures throughout much of the year due to its elevation. The principal rainy season occurs from June through August, during which the town receives the majority of its annual rainfall. Outside of this period, weather conditions are typically dry and temperate, making the climate suitable for both agriculture and urban living.The town has one senior secondary school, which started enrolling students in 1987.

Education

Sendafa enjoys relatively moderate technological facilities compared to other towns of the same size in its Zone. public institutions here include the Ethiopian Police College and the Sendafa military camp. The town is also the planned location for the new training centre of the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front, budgeted to cost 80 million birr. This plan includes a seven-story headquarters building to be built in Arat Kilo[1]

US Peace Corps Volunteers served in Sedafa between 1966 and 1970.[2]

Demographics

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In 2022 the total population was estimated at 142000 of whom males 72420 and females 69580,[citation needed]. The majority of the inhabitants said they practised Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity, with 84.15% of the population reporting they practised that belief, 11.38% were Muslim.



Relief work

For the past several years, the non-denominational Living Word Community Church in York, Pennsylvania, has partnered with the village of Sendafa, sending teams of church members to provide medical and educational supplies. In 2010, Living Word Community Church members raised $10,000 to pay for a clean-water well to be drilled in Sendafa.

Notes

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  1. ^ EPRDF to Construct Headquarters, Training Centre (Addis Fortune, published 4 March 2008)
  2. ^ A list of volunteers is maintained on the Peace Corp website