Save the Children in Ethiopia
Save the Children first started work in Ethiopia in the 1930s. It set up its two permanent offices through Save the Children Sweden in 1965 and Save the Children UK in 1974. Its earliest work in the 1960s focused largely on humanitarian and emergency assistance, but now has evolved into triple nexus programming covering long term development and resilience programming, and humanitarian responses.
Save the Children in Ethiopia works closely with a variety of partners across the country. Through working closely with administrations at both regional and federal levels, local partners and other stakeholders, Save the Children has touched the lives of millions of children in Ethiopia. Our humanitarian and development focused projects reach the most remote areas as well as parts of the country which experience climate shocks and other challenges.
Our response reaches communities across Amhara, Oromia, Tigray, Afar, Somali, and the southern lowlands. In all our intervention areas, Save the Children works closely with stakeholders including local and federal government partners to steward its triple nexus programming, which in turn is helping families access essential services, protect children, and strengthen collective community resilience.
Hassen* with his daughter Sada* in front of the temporary shelter built for his family through Save the Children’s SWAN-funded Rapid Response Mechanism in partnership with the local government. They are among more than 2,000 households, around 8,000 people—who fled conflict in Oromia region and now live in the temporary location in Amhara region with support from the government and humanitarian partners. Seifu Asseged/ Save the Children
Maheder Haileselassie / Save the Children
Selma lives in Ethiopia’s Somali region where female genital mutilation (FGM) – and other harmful tradition-al practices such as child marriage – have been all too common. But today she’s part of a Save the Children-supported Child Club, where she and her peers are learning to become powerful campaigners for girls’ rights. One of the ways they spread the message is using theatre and street drama. Selma has helped to write these performances and stars in them too. Maheder Haileselassie / Save the Children
Halima* is holding Sudan grass in her compound as she prepares to feed her cattle. 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, ensuring the well-being of her animals throughout the year. Seifu Asseged / Save the Children
The situation for children in Ethiopia
Over the years, Ethiopia has made remarkable gains in its development and economic ambitions and plans. As a developing country, challenges remain. These stem from a combination of factors, including some of which are driven by unpredictable climatic shocks, natural disasters and in some places, conflict.
Reduced rains also affect communities and livelihoods in the drier lands of the south and southeastern part of the country hence, affecting water sources that cater for livestock, and boost household resilience.
A camel herder leads camels carrying digital tablets and solar powered chargers to help children read in remote areas of the Somali region, Ethiopia. Seifu Assegid/ Save the Children
Our Impact for Children in 2025
6.2M
people directly reached with support
3.3M
children directly reached with support
4.57M
people reached through humanitarian interventions
1.65M
people reached through our development interventions
Birkutan benefits from Basic Education programming in Waghimra, Ethiopia. Save the Children in Ethiopia
GET IN TOUCH
ATIONAL OFFICE ADDRESS
Ethiopia Country Office, Sunshine Tower #4, next to the Hyatt
Regency Hotel | P.O. Box. 387 Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Location Pin
EMAIL ethiopia.info@savethechildren.org
PHONE +251 903 01 54 65
News & Stories
Innovations breaking barriers to children’s immunisation in Nigeria and Ethiopia win major funding from Save the Children
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.
19 Dec 2024
New tools measure babies’ feet to identify home births needing care in Ethiopia
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.
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26 Jul 2024
Ethiopia: More than 1,320 children remain at risk following week of deadly landslides
Hundreds of children living in the remote Gofa zone of Southern Ethiopia remain at risk of death and injury from rain-induced disasters