Ethiopia, one of Africa’s most populous nations, boasts a strong and diverse cultural heritage. However, recent humanitarian crises have wreaked havoc on its local communities. To help them recover from the lasting effects of civil conflict and hardship, the Ethiopian Anglican Church Social and Development Organisation (EACSDO) is providing sustainable support to communities in Northern Ethiopia.

The Tigray region, in Northern Ethiopia is the centre of EACSDO’s response efforts. The most recent conflict began in November 2020 after an extended period of complex escalating tensions and resulted in 2.2 million people becoming internally displaced and in need of critical assistance. Due to the conflict, a total of 5.2 million people in the country required food and non-food items.

Tigray’s infrastructure was devastated by the conflict, with 75% of all medical facilities destroyed or looted. All schools and banks in the area closed. The conflict compounded pre-existing food insecurity from ongoing droughts and the movement of humanitarian supplies became challenging.

The conflict ended in 2022, but displaced peoples and a devastated regional community still feel the effects.

As EACSDO continue to support displaced peoples, an emerging area of need is to rebuild and restore agricultural lands so that the community can return to self-sufficiency. This is particularly the case given the environmental pressure in the area, with a lack of rain causing ongoing drought. EACSDO is working with communities to develop soil and water conservation activities to restore the land to support local families. This will also involve creating springs and protecting water sources to increase accessibility. EACSDO is also supporting Tigray regional communities by offering sustainable energy options as infrastructure is rebuilt.