Ethiopia - Helvetas USA

Table of content Ethiopia Many people in Ethiopia suffer from recurrent droughts, and climate change is exacerbating the problem. Helvetas supports them in their efforts to make a living despite the scarcity of water. We are also improving rural infrastructure by building trail bridges and providing vocational training and capacity-building for local authorities. © Helvetas / Fatoumata Diabate

• Capital Addis Abeba
• Area 1,104,300 km²
• Poverty rate* 27% of the population live under the poverty line of $1.90 per day
• UN DEVELOPMENT INDEX* Rank: 175 out of 193
• Population 123,000,000
• People supported per year 305,324
• Thematic focus Voice, Inclusion & Cohesion Private Sector Development Urban Engagement Climate & Disaster Resilience Vocational Skills Development Humanitarian Response Rural Access

* Source: UN Data play Amhara Local Governance Project play How Ethiopian farmers harvest water

The Ethiopian government invests heavily in education, and the economy is rapidly developing. But these developments hardly benefit Ethiopian farming families, who are confronted time and again with droughts and famines. Since 2002, Helvetas has been providing hands-on support to relieve their distress.

Support for farmers and nomadic herders

For example, we build cisterns for farming families that store rainwater collected from the rooftops. Farmers also plant drought-tolerant crops on hillsides to reduce erosion – and grow more food. Furthermore, with Helvetas' support, farmers make more varied use of the prickly pear (local name: beles), whose leaves supplement their diet and provide fodder for their animals, and whose fruits can be sold to the capital.

Nomadic herders also suffer from recurrent drought and receive emergency support from Helvetas.

Trail bridges for remote regions

In the mountainous regions of Ethiopia, it often takes people a day or more to walk to the next village or water source. This is a major obstacle to rural development. Trail bridges connect remote settlements to traffic routes. This improves access to schools, markets and hospitals. Ethiopian engineers have been trained in bridge-building by Nepalese experts, who, thanks to a Helvetas project, have many years’ experience in building trail bridges.

More know-how for local authorities

Local authorities are improving their capacity to provide public services. With Helvetas’ know-how, they can plan, build and administer development projects themselves, such as drinking water facilities, irrigation systems and trail bridges.

Helvetas has also been active in vocational training since 2015. Thanks to training courses in tailoring, carpentry, electrical wiring, hairdressing, cooking etc., young adults are improving their income as salaried employees or self-employed tradespersons.

Visit the website of Helvetas Ethiopia.

Our Projects in Ethiopia

If you would like to know more about our work in Ethiopia, click on each project for details.

Filter Mapview Filter Thematic focus Countries Search Listview WASH & Water Governance Education and Vocational Skills Basic Education Vocational Skills Development Voice, Inclusion & Cohesion Governance & Civic Space Conflict Transformation Private Sector Development Agriculture and Nutrition Market Systems Development Climate & Disaster Resilience Transversal Topic Gender and Social Equity Advocacy Learning & Innovation Rural Access Humanitarian Response Advocacy Gender & Social Equity Partnership & Capacity Development Youth Urban Engagement Migration Food & Nutrition Sustainable and Inclusive Economies Skills, Jobs and Income WASH Services Climate Smart Agriculture Economic Empowerment Water Food and Climate Africa Benin Burkina Faso Ethiopia Madagascar Mali Mozambique Niger Tanzania Tunisia Asia Bangladesh Bhutan India Jordan Kyrgyzstan Laos Lebanon Myanmar Nepal Pakistan Sri Lanka Tajikistan Uzbekistan Vietnam Latin America Bolivia Guatemala Haiti Honduras Peru Eastern and Southeast Europe Albania Armenia Azerbaijan Bosnia-Herzegovina Eastern and Southeast Europe Georgia Kosovo Moldova Montenegro North Macedonia Serbia Ukraine Enter keyword Submit Africa Ethiopia Ethiopia Voice, Inclusion & Cohesion

Taking Responsibility for Village Administration

Ethiopia Rural Access

TRAIL Bridges: Lifelines to the World

Ethiopia Skills, Jobs and Income

Know-How and Skills for Young Tradespeople

Ethiopia Climate & Disaster Resilience

Pastoralists Take Charge of Natural Resource Management

Global Private Sector Development

Improving Diets and Incomes of Rural Populations in Mountain Regions

Ethiopia Voice, Inclusion & Cohesion

ALGP+: Commitment to Inclusive Decision - Making and Service Delivery

Ethiopia Water Food and Climate

WH-CARD II: Building Climate Resilience and Food Security

Ethiopia Water Food and Climate

SEGORP II: Community Resilience On The Rise

Multimedia Stories from Africa

A Forgotten Crisis: Drought Arising from Climate Change in Southern Ethiopia

Yezina Overcomes Every Hurdle

Yezina won't let her handicap stop her. She wants to become a successful seamstress who decides her own life.

Where the Sun Pumps the Water

How the construction of a solar pump has made life easier for the people of a small village in Mali. Follow us

• facebook
• twitter
• instagram
• youtube
• linkedin

WASH & Water Governance

The most vulnerable communities suffer from dirty and scarce water. Annually we help up to 500,000 people get new access to drinking water and basic sanitation.

Education and Vocational Skills

Lack of education perpetuates inequality because poor countries cannot compete economically without a skilled workforce.

Voice, Inclusion & Cohesion

In many countries where we work, men and women are unable to claim their rights and participate actively in decision-making processes. Contact

HELVETAS ETHIOPIA House No. 778 P.O.Box 27507/1000 1000 Addis Abeba Ethiopia

Phone:+ 251-11 467 29 34/35/36 Fax:+ 251-11 467 29 49 E-Mail: helvetas@ethionet.et

Visit the website of Helvetas Ethiopia.

Content not available This content is not available in the language you have selected. Do not change language Change language anyway Close Close loading-spinner.label Back