RELIEF

Emergency response and resilience measures for vulnerable communities in South Wollo, Ethiopia

500

people receive individual and/or group psychosocial support

1,000

women protected in dedicated spaces (safe houses)

1,859

vulnerable households identified in the five camps

The project strengthens the humanitarian response in Ethiopia, ensuring safe access to basic services and protection for the most vulnerable people. It operates in five displacement camps — Gerardo, Medina, Degan, Budeta and China Camp — and in host communities in South Wollo, Amhara Region, improving living conditions and promoting resilience and dignity for thousands of families affected by crisis and fragility.

REBUILDING LIVES, STRENGTHENING COMMUNITIES,
PROMOTING RESILIENCE

REBUILDING LIVES, STRENGTHENING COMMUNITIES, PROMOTING RESILIENCE

BACKGROUND

ETHIOPIA: HUMANITARIAN EMERGENCY AND SOCIAL FRAGILITY ON THE RISE

With over 126 million inhabitants, Ethiopia is the second most populous country in sub-Saharan Africa, but also one of the poorest (human development index 0.492). In recent years, internal conflicts, economic crises and climate disasters — such as droughts, floods and events linked to El Niño — have exacerbated social fragility, leaving over 60 million people in need of humanitarian assistance.

According to OCHA, 21 million Ethiopians are currently affected by emergencies and 4.4 million are internally displaced. Violence, particularly gender-based violence, and child protection are among the most urgent priorities: over 13 million people need support, but access to services is limited by damaged infrastructure, social stigma and conflict-induced disruptions.

In the Amhara region, the conflict has displaced more than 66,000 people and severely deteriorated basic services: 47% of the population has limited access to healthcare, and 2% has no access at all. There is a shortage of medicines, healthcare personnel and resources, while malnutrition and infectious diseases are on the rise. Women and girls are particularly vulnerable to sexual violence and risks while fleeing or collecting water and firewood. In camps for internally displaced persons, which are overcrowded and lack adequate sanitation facilities, security is minimal.

Analyses show rates of acute child malnutrition at 15%, widespread food insecurity (over 70% of families indicate food as a priority need), poor access to psychosocial support and high levels of stress and school dropout. The host communities, numbering around 117,000 people, also share increasingly scarce resources, raising tensions and vulnerability.

Integrated action on nutrition, health, water and hygiene, protection and psychosocial support is urgently needed to strengthen the resilience of the affected populations and ensure dignity and safety for the most vulnerable people.

OBJECTIVES

AN INTEGRATED APPROACH FOR RECOVERY AND RESILIENCE IN SOUTH WOLLO

The RELIEF project was created in response to the humanitarian emergency in South Wollo, in the Amhara region of Ethiopia, where conflict, climate crises and poverty have exacerbated the vulnerability of thousands of internally displaced persons and the communities that host them.

In line with the Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP), the initiative aims to improve living conditions by reducing families' dependence on negative survival strategies — from 90% to 15% — and promoting greater autonomy.

Following the ‘triple nexus’ approach (humanitarian aid, development and peacebuilding), RELIEF promotes social cohesion and lays the foundations for sustainable recovery, capable of addressing environmental and climate challenges.

Activities include Multi-Purpose Cash Assistance (MPCA) to respond to immediate needs, strengthening basic services and introducing sustainable environmental practices to improve hygiene, health and food security.

Constant monitoring and the participation of local communities guarantee transparency, effectiveness and ownership, ensuring that every intervention responds to the real needs of the population.

Specific objective
To guarantee safe access to integrated and inclusive basic services and protection for the vulnerable population of five camps and host communities in South Wollo.

HOW WE WORK

MULTISECTORAL ACTIONS FOR HEALTH, HYGIENE AND PROTECTION OF VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES

The RELIEF project aims to improve the health, hygiene, protection and resilience of internally displaced communities and host families in the Amhara region through an integrated, multisectoral approach.

In terms of health, it includes six training courses for operators and midwives, quarterly supervision of five health centres, and vaccination and nutritional screening campaigns for children under five and pregnant women. There are also plans for health and nutrition awareness activities, IYCF counselling, volunteer training and support for people with disabilities, together with the upgrading of facilities with medical and nutritional supplies.

In the WASH (water, sanitation and hygiene) sector, the project builds and rehabilitates safe water sources and sanitation facilities in the five camps, trains five WASHCO committees and supports water cost coverage. It also promotes domestic hygiene and waste management by distributing hygiene kits and non-food items (NFIs), including menstrual hygiene products.

The protection component includes legal training to support survivors of gender-based violence, integrated help desks, individual and group psychosocial activities. Finally, multi-purpose cash transfers (MPC) are provided and a monitoring system is activated to ensure the transparency, effectiveness, and sustainability of the interventions.

RESULTS

A CONCRETE IMPACT ON THE HEALTH, RESILIENCE AND DIGNITY OF AFFECTED COMMUNITIES

The RELIEF project will bring about concrete and lasting improvements in the living conditions of displaced persons and host communities in the Amhara region.

In the health sector, it will strengthen access to essential health and nutrition services, with a particular focus on maternal, child, sexual and reproductive health, the treatment of acute malnutrition (SAM and MAM) and the prevention of major diseases. The five health centres in the displacement camps will be upgraded and better equipped, ensuring timely and quality care for women, children and vulnerable people.

At the same time, the project will improve the quality and sustainability of WASH services by constructing and rehabilitating drinking water sources, sanitation facilities and health infrastructure. In this way, it will ensure safe water and healthier living conditions for displaced persons and host communities.

Finally, RELIEF will strengthen socio-economic protection and support mechanisms, with a particular focus on survivors of gender-based violence, by improving access to legal, health and psychosocial services.

Through an integrated and participatory approach, the project will help promote dignity, safety and resilience for thousands of people affected by crisis and fragility.