[3] After the fall of the Derg military regime, the Sidama people were able to widely use the local language – Sidaamu Afoo – as exercised in all regions of the country.

Peaceful demonstrators came into conflict with armed government workers and several dozen of them[clarification needed] were killed.

First, Sidama constitutes about 20% of the total population in the southern region, with a significant economic contribution to the central government.

After the fall of the military regime in 1991, the Transitional Government endorsed five separate regions within the current SNNPR.

In August 2019, Ethiopia granted the Sidama community a referendum on self-determination on 20 November,[4] which was passed with 98.5% of the vote.

The Sidama live between Tikur Wuha River in the north and Dilla town in the south, spread out in a cone-shaped area of the middle of southern Ethiopia.

84.38% of the population said they were Protestants, 4.62% were Muslim, 3.35% practiced Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity, 3.01% embraced Catholicism, and 2.72% observed traditional religions.

62.54% of the population said they were Protestants, 13.64% observed traditional religions, 8.24% practiced Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity, 8% were Muslim, and 4.24% embraced Catholicism.

Despite Ethiopia's vast resources of land, water and labor, it remains among the poorest countries in Africa and the world.

It has been unable to use its resources effectively to prevent famine, reduce poverty, and support its rapidly increasing population.

[12][better source needed] The Sidama economy is based primarily on subsistence agriculture characterized by archaic production techniques.

Thus about a quarter of the total population in Sidama is directly or indirectly dependent on food aid from the international community today.

The leading causes of morbidity and mortality in SNNP Region are mostly attributable to lack of clean drinking water, poor sanitation, and low public awareness of environmental health and personal hygiene practices.

According to a 2009 IRC baseline KPC survey conducted in the Sidama region, only 7% of households reported using a latrine, whilst 93% percent practiced open defecation.

The 2009–2011 Emergency Preparedness and Response Plan (EPRP) for SNNPR estimated that up to 65,260 people were affected by acute watery diarrhea in 2009.

"The preventive elements of the HEWs' and CHPs' roles involves continuous education on sanitation and hygiene to communities, including selection and communication of messages on sanitation and hygiene as well as demonstrations and actions to persuade HHs [households] to make changes in their behaviour – followed by monitoring of the progress made by HHs.

"[18] To assemble site-specific processes of development in each community, a large environment needs to be in place to encourage local groups to create their own appropriate solutions.

In the Sidama region, due to less community awareness and lower availability of schools, a smaller percentage of young children attend education.

The data reveals that many fewer children in the younger generation receive educational opportunities in the Sidama region.

The prevalent farming system of the midlands of Sidama is under stress mainly because of burgeoning human population.

Symptoms are not only the high proportion of children acutely or chronically affected by malnutrition but also the progressive degradation of resources in an environment once extremely fertile.

In order to buffer the progressive crisis, and given the presence of markets for cash crops and dairy products, the mixed system in the Sidama midlands is rapidly evolving into specialization.

Because of their positive role as a source of cash in the HH economy, coffee and khat plants are gradually replacing food crops in the garden such as ensete, yam and maize.

Sidama elders (astrologists) observe the movement of the stars in the sky and decide the date for the New Year and the Fichchee celebration.