In northern Ethiopia, the Tigray, Amhara, and Afar regions face a dire humanitarian crisis as ongoing conflict drives children and families from their hometowns and deeper into despair. Learn what World Vision is doing to help affected children and families.
Why World Vision is in Ethiopia
Due to the civil turmoil in Northern Ethiopia, our sponsorship operations have been suspended. Sponsors who have children in the communities of Asgede Tsimbla, Gulo Mekeda, Abergelle, Jille Timuga and Mersa should expect to experience delays in communication from their sponsored child. Wherever safe to do so, our work in the field will continue.
As with the majority of other countries around the world, the COVID-19 pandemic hit Ethiopia and has caused still-untold ramifications for its economy and citizens. A major election was delayed a year, which has created further instability and uncertainty, and millions of people’s livelihoods have been impacted by a surge in desert locusts. Also, nearly 1.1 million people were affected by floods, with some losing their homes, and over a million people in the same region were affected by ethnic violence. In November, the violence erupted into full-scale attacks in Tigray, a crisis that remains unresolved.
Thanks to strong local and national government partnerships, World Vision has reached more than 8 million vulnerable people across Ethiopia. Families impacted by the pandemic were equipped with health resources and information. People who face violence or insecurity in the Tigray crisis are receiving essential support like food, nutrition resources for kids, and clean water and sanitation facilities to help protect themselves from COVID-19 amid the disruption.
We never give up on people
World Vision child sponsorship looks at all the things that prevent children from surviving and thriving in their community, and then works with that community to bring all the pieces of the puzzle together to build a better life for all children. For sponsors, it’s a personal way to show God’s love to a child in need in a life-changing way.
Sponsor a child in Ethiopia ❯
Progress in Ethiopia
Thanks to the generous support of donors, we’re making great progress toward the well-being of children and their families.
Child Protection and Care
Boys and girls are safe and valued, well cared for by their families, and participating in their communities as agents of transformation.
- Families are joining savings groups and taking classes on personal finance to help them provide for their children over the long-term.
Healthy Children and Families
Children and families are well nourished, protected from infection and disease, and have access to essential health services.
- Thousands more people have access to clean water less than 30 minutes away from their home after World Vision helped establish various clean water sources in local communities.
- Children are better protected from the spread of infectious disease now that World Vision helped hundreds of families build toilets in their homes and communities.
Education for Better Lives
Children have opportunities to learn and to develop their talents, young people are equipped for the future, and families and communities support children's education.
- Early education become a bigger priority in many households. More children aged 3-6 were sent to preschool and parents attended trainings on how to support their youngest children's' learning at home.
- Children received support as the learned to read and write in reading camps. Additionally, thousands of books with regionally specific stories in local languages were given to children to encourage them to read at home.
Prayer Requests from Ethiopia
World Vision's staff in Ethiopia are asking us to join them in prayer for the following:
For effective infrastructure development, like the Great Ethiopian Renaissance Dam project, that will help the country climb out of poverty.
For God’s peace to miraculously prevail in the ongoing Tigray crisis and for vulnerable people to be protected from the violence.
News from Ethiopia
From the Field
10 of the worst disasters in 2021
In 2021, World Vision responded to 72 disasters in 52 countries, helping more than 30.1 million people in crisis — in addition to our ongoing global response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Learn more about some of the worst disasters of 2021.
Prayers
Peace on earth: Pray for people in conflict hot spots
Our world is full of hurting families and nations torn apart. More than 930 million people live in countries with conflict, violence, or fragile internal systems. Pray with us for people living in fragile contexts and conflict zones.
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