Ethiopia

Hamida*, 29, is a mother of five children ranging from four months to seven years old. She is grateful to Allah that her entire family survived the relentless dry season in Ethiopia’s Somali region. However, they face a desperate struggle to survive after losing most of their livestock—their only source of income.With no options left, Hamida and her family fled their small village in the Somali region about six years ago escaping a drought that killed most of their livestock. After walking for more than five hours, they arrived at a makeshift camp for temporary settlers on the outskirts of a nearby rural town, far from their original home. They have lived there ever since.Following the failed rainy season known as Dayr, in October to December, most areas in the Somali region experienced severe drought, causing an acute shortage of water and pasture. This led to significant food insecurity among communities, forcing many families to leave their homes and travel to nearby small towns in hopes of receiving support from the government and humanitarian agencies.As part of its emergency humanitarian assistance through the internal Humanitarian Fund (HF), Save the Children is on the ground providing lifesaving assistance to families most impacted by the dry season through the distribution of food and non-food items. To date, the organization has reached over 1,200 households, approximately more than 7,200 individuals.

Rukia* is a mother of seven, lives in a remote village in the Somali region where she raises livestock. Her family’s livelihood depends entirely on the livestock for both income and sustenance. However during long dry periods, her livestock was not producing enough milk to feed her children and be a useful source of income for Rukia*.In 2022, Rukia and her family had to leave their home village, which is located far from where they currently settled. They were escaping severe dry weather conditions caused by consecutive failed rains, which led to a critical shortage of water and pasture for their livestock and themselves. The prolonged dry spell resulted in the loss of most of their livestock, but the family relocated with support from the local administration and humanitarian organizations.

Rahwa, 42, is a mother of six children, four boys and two girls, and lives in a remote rural village in Ethiopia's Somali region. Her family of eight relies on small-scale agriculture, including crop production and livestock raising, for their livelihood. For their family, however, livestock comes first in terms of income and sustenance.In recent times, recurrent failed rains, combined with high food prices in the local market have been a challenge. Save the Children, through its anticipatory action initiatives funded by Save the Children Korea (SCK) and in partnership with the local government, has been helping families in this area by providing improved crops and fodder seeds. This support has enabled families like Rahwa's to feed their livestock. Rahwa produces fodder and crops, the latter which are used for family consumption and selling of the surplus.

Mensura*, a young mother from the Afar region of Ethiopia, walks more than 10 kilometers to reach the nearest health post. For her, accessing essential health services has always been difficult due to distance and harsh weather conditions.Through integrated outreach services supported by Save the Children under the Gates Foundation Targeted Vaccination and Integrated Outreach Service Project, Mensura* and her 12-month-old son Ahemed* are now receiving life-saving health and nutrition support closer to their home.During a recent outreach session, Ahemed* was screened for malnutrition using MUAC measurement and diagnosed with Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM). He was immediately enrolled in the Outpatient Therapeutic Program (OTP), where he now receives Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) and regular follow-up care. At the same time, he continues to receive his routine vaccinations.Mensura* herself, who is three months pregnant, was also screened and found to be malnourished. She has been linked to the Targeted Supplementary Feeding Program (TSFP) for additional nutritional support. During the outreach visit, she received iron supplementation, tetanus-diphtheria (TD) vaccination, and antenatal care (ANC) follow-up.The integrated outreach approach ensures that mothers and children receive multiple essential services in one visit, improving access, early detection of malnutrition, and immunization coverage in hard-to-reach communities.

In Bale Zone, Oromia Region, Ethiopia, many families live in remote villages far from health posts, where poor roads make access to services even harder. With training and support from Save the Children through the Gates Foundation project, health extension worker Sofiya* is reaching zero-dose children through vaccination campaigns. Her work, supported by community volunteers and leaders, has helped families like Halema’s* ensure that even newborns, like her 6-day-old son Ali*, receive life-saving vaccines.

Halima*, a 45-year-old mother of five, lives in a remote rural village in Ethiopia’s Somali region. As a dedicated member of her community, she actively participates in fodder production alongside 59 other farmers. This collective effort has enabled her to harvest sufficient nutritious fodder to feed her livestock and maintain a reserve for the extended dry season and ensure the well-being of her animals throughout the year.Halima*’s family are agro-pastoralists who rely on small-scale farming and livestock rearing as their primary means of livelihood to sustain their family of seven. However, recurrent droughts and other natural disasters have severely impacted their way of life, pushing them into food insecurity . The lack of reliable animal feed during dry seasons often led to weakened livestock, reduced milk production, and limited income, hence exacerbating their struggles.Recently, with the introduction of improved drought-resistant fodder seedlings by Save the Children through the Anticipatory Action initiative (funded by Save the Children Italy), Halima* and her community have been able to cultivate an ample supply of high-quality animal feed. This innovation has transformed their lives in multiple ways. The improved fodder has enhanced the health and productivity of their livestock, resulting in increased milk yields and healthier animals that can be sold at better prices. For Halima*’s family, this means a steady supply of nutritious milk for her children and additional income from selling surplus milk and livestock.The fodder reserves have also provided a safety net during the dry season, ensuring that the reared animals remain strong and productive even in harsh conditions. This has broken the cycle of food insecurity and allowed Halima*’s family to achieve greater food sufficiency and stability. The increased income from livestock sales has enabled them to purchase other essential food items, diversify their diet, and invest in their children’s education and well-being.This initiative has not only transformed their immediate circumstances but also strengthened their resilience against future climatic challenges. By securing a reliable source of fodder, Halima* and her community are better equipped to withstand droughts and other environmental shocks, ensuring a more sustainable and prosperous future for their families.

Aamiina*, a 33-year-old mother of eight children (three girls and five boys), lives in a remote village in the Somali region, an area described as one of the most drought-prone and flood-affected in Ethiopia. Over the years, her community has endured recurrent droughts, seasonal flooding, and other natural disasters, which have severely disrupted the livelihoods of families like hers. These frequent climate-related shocks have left many households, including Aamiina*’s, in a constant state of vulnerability, struggling to recover from the compounded impacts of environmental challenges. In response to these hardships, Aamiina*’s family was recently selected to participate in a fodder support program designed to enhance resilience amongst vulnerable households. As part of the initiative, families received improved Sudan grass seedlings which are drought-resistant and high-yield fodder seeds. With determination and hard work, Aamiina* and her family cultivated the seedlings on their farmland, covering approximately one hectare. After months of careful tending, they successfully harvested the fodder, which is now being used to nourish their livestock. This achievement not only ensures a stable feed source for their animals but also marks a critical step toward improving the family’s overall food security and resilience to future climate shocks. The support has gone beyond providing seedlings; it has equipped Aamiina* and her community with the knowledge and tools to adapt to climate challenges. Through training on sustainable agricultural practices and access to essential farming tools, families are now better prepared to withstand the impacts of droughts. The surplus fodder produced is not only used to feed livestock but is also sold to neighboring communities as an additional source of income. This economic boost has enabled families to invest in other livelihood activities, further strengthening their resilience. Looking ahead, Aamiina* hopes to expand her fodder production and to explore other sustainable agricultural practices. By doing so, she aims to further enhance her family’s livelihood by reducing its dependence on external aid. Through initiatives like this, vulnerable households are not only surviving climate shocks but are also thriving, hence paving the way for a more resilient and sustainable future.

Aaden*, a ten-year-old boy in the third grade, lives with his family in a rural village in Ethiopia’s Somali region. He is the fourth of seven children in a household that depends on small-scale farming and livestock for survival. In recent years, recurrent droughts have severely impacted their livelihood, decimating their animals and threatening their food security. With support from Save the Children’s Anticipatory Action initiative, funded by Save the Children Italy, the family received improved animal feed, farming tools, and technical assistance. These resources enabled them to grow nutrient-rich fodder, improving their livestock’s health and offering a more stable and hopeful future.Aaden*’s mother, Fawzia*, a resilient 43-year-old, plays a vital role in sustaining the family. As a member of a community fodder producers’ group supported by the same initiative, she received Sudan grass seedlings, farm tools, and a water-pumping generator shared among group members. On her half-hectare plot, she cultivated improved fodder that significantly boosted the health and productivity of their animals. The resulting increase in milk yields has not only nourished her children but also provided surplus to sell, generating extra income and strengthening the family’s resilience against climate shocks.

Tsigab, 28, is married and has two children: a four-year-old boy and a youngest daughter who is one year and five months old. She lives in a remote rural village in the Tigray region of Ethiopia.Tsigab and her husband earn a living by farming the land around their modest house. They grow maize, sorghum, teff, and other food crops. However, when the harvest is insufficient, the family often struggles to meet their basic needs.During times of drought and food shortages, Tsigab and her husband take on various jobs in the nearby small town to make ends meet. However, finding work is not always easy, and Tsigab sometimes worries about how she will feed her family.Despite all the challenges they face, Tsigab has managed to keep her youngest daughter well-nourished. Part of the reason her daughter is doing so well is that Tsigab participates in a cooking demonstration program at the health post in her village. There, she and other mothers learn best practices about proper nutrition and childcare.

Marenet*, 57, is a mother of six who has suffered from ureterovaginal prolapse (UVP) for over twelve years, a condition that began during the delivery of her last child. Marenet’s family are subsistence farmers living in a remote village in the Tigray region, an area significantly impacted by a conflict that lasted for more than three years. This conflict caused extensive devastation to the region’s health infrastructure and overall health services. The impact of the war is still visible, and recovery will require a long time.To address these problems, Save the Children launched the surge team strategy with financial assistance from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. By deploying highly skilled medical and surgical teams to remote and inaccessible facilities, local people were able to receive life-saving services. These services targeted individuals with low incomes who could not afford health care and other related expenses. Consequently, the community benefited from free health treatments.Marenet’s story highlights the transformative impact of the medical care she received, giving her hope and a renewed sense of vitality.

Azeb*, 30, recently gave birth to a healthy baby boy after receiving fertility treatment from the surge team in her hometown of Tigray. This milestone came after nine failed pregnancies due to miscarriages. Azeb had never thought she would be able to conceive and had suffered marginalization and social ostracism due to long-standing misconceptions associated with miscarriage and infertility in her community.Her baby boy, now four months old, is in good health. She brings him to the facility for his regular monthly checkups and immunizations. We met and talked with Azeb during one of her visits to the health center for her child’s follow-up appointment. During the visit, she received advice on how to care for her baby and other health messages. Her baby also received his monthly vaccines, which protect him from infectious diseases.

The Save the Children Immunisation Accelerator, backed by GSK, has selected two standout projects to improve child vaccination rates in Nigeria and Ethiopia, where millions of children remain unvaccinated.Both projects were chosen from 120 submissions and will receive $100,000 in support. These innovations aim to transform immunization outcomes and are part of a broader mission to ensure no child suffers from preventable diseases.

Developed by Save the Children and Hawassa University College of Medicine & Health Sciences (HUCMHS), the easy-to-use screening tools are colour-coded and include a laminated card and a plastic tool with a 90-degree “heel holder” to guide where to place a baby’s heel for the measurement.