Iddir is an informal association of people who share a common interest such as family membership, friendship, residence in the same district, affiliation by employment, and membership in the same ethnic group for the purpose of securing mutual aid and financial assistance under certain conditions. The original purpose of the Iddir was to provide the financial wherewithal for the burial of the dead, but it has evolved into an association that offers a multitude of services for its members. These services include financial and material assistance and consolation in difficult times.  Iddir started in Addis Ababa primarily as an ethnic affiliation of voluntary association among migrants but it has since transcended ethnic affiliation.  The modern Iddir helps the poor to deal such risks as “funeral expenses, financial assistance to families of the deceased, and, in some cases, coverage of other risks such as medical expenses, loss due to fire or theft, etc.

Links to useful Iddir links:
http://www.akdn.org/publications/civil_society_beyond_ngos.pdf
http://etd.aau.edu.et/dspace/bitstream/123456789/1143/1/Shiferaw%20Tesfaye.pdf
http://www.edi-africa.com/docs/WD_funeralinsurance.pdf
http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTEMPOWERMENT/Resources/Ethiopia_Understanding_Role_of_Institutions.pdf
http://www.capri.cgiar.org/wp/..%5Cpdf%5Cbrief_poverty-02.pdf