Save the Children in Ethiopia

International School in Addis Ababa, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Save the Children in Ethiopia is based in Addis Ababa, at Sunshine Tower #4 next to the Hyatt Regency Hotel, and works with children and families across the country. It first started work in Ethiopia in the 1930s, and its earliest work in the 1960s focused largely on humanitarian and emergency assistance. Over time, that work has evolved into long term development, resilience, and humanitarian response programming. The organisation works in areas including health, nutrition, education, protection, livelihoods, and community resilience, with a focus on communities facing climate shocks, conflict, and other challenges.

Its programmes are built around close collaboration with regional and federal administrations, local partners, government stakeholders, and other community actors. The source describes a triple nexus approach that links development, resilience, and humanitarian responses. In practice, this includes health facility support, vaccination outreach, medical equipment, and maternal health services, along with nutrition screening for children and pregnant and lactating women. Education support includes early childhood education, learning materials, school feeding, and child friendly learning spaces in remote and emergency settings. The organisation also works on child protection, psychosocial support, family reunification, and awareness around harmful practices such as child early marriage and female genital mutilation where these cultures exist.

Daily work takes place across a wide range of contexts, including remote areas and parts of the country affected by climate shocks. During emergencies, the response can include water trucking, hygiene kits, improved sanitation facilities, and cash assistance to help households meet immediate needs while building resilience. The source also mentions child clubs, theatre, and street drama as ways children share messages, especially around girls’ rights. Languages connected to the work include Amharic, Afar, Oromo, Tigrinya, and Somali, reflecting the wide geographic reach of the programmes.

What makes Save the Children in Ethiopia distinctive is the breadth of its long running presence and the way it combines humanitarian response with longer term support for children and families. It has reached communities in Amhara, Oromia, Tigray, Afar, Somali, and the southern lowlands, including some of the country’s most remote areas. It is a good fit for families and communities seeking support that spans emergency needs, health and nutrition, protection, learning, and resilience building, especially where local collaboration and community based delivery matter.