Ethiopia

HelpAge International has been working in Ethiopia since 1992.

Our vision is to ensure that the needs and rights of older people are addressed through appropriate policies, legislation and programmes.

Life story: Turunesh, 100

Turunesh, 100 and her granddaughter, 10-year-old Senait. (c) Jeff Williams/HelpAge International Many older Ethiopians would be forced to beg on the streets if it wasn’t for the community centre run by the Addis Hiwot Integrated Sustainable Development Organisation (AHISDO). 

At the centre both vulnerable older people and their grandchildren receive a balanced and nourishing meal. Together, they help maintain a small vegetable garden that yields fresh produce to be enjoyed by young and old alike.

100-year-old Turunesh is a beneficiary and says: “My granddaughter attends school nearby and the centre gives here her lunch. Senait brings me the food from the centre because of my knee. I used to come to the centre five days from Monday-Friday, but I injured my knee falling, so now I can’t come as often.

"The centre has bought textbooks and my granddaughter’s school uniform. I advise her to learn and study hard. I wish her success and prosperity, as I may not see her future. The centre is the only place where people help us with food. God bless those who help us!”

Supporting older people in Ethiopia

Emergency response

• We've assisted 4,582 people with lifesaving food distributions, cash transfers and animal feed, as well as training communities on how to manage their environment during future droughts.
• We provided 996 older people with a monthly ration of 50kg maize and 5kg haricot beans, as well as cash transfers for items such as oil, sugar, salt and tea.
• In the Dollo Ado camps in Somali Ethiopia we helped 2,663 older displaced people in five camps. Our response activities included distributing core relief items such as household utensils, mosquito nets, sleeping mats, water collection items, water, sanitation and hygiene facilities, mobility aids and shelters.

Healthcare

• Through partnerships with organisations specialising in eye care we enabled over 2,500 older people regain their eyesight after cataract or trichiasis treatment.
• Through our partner TESFA Social and Development Association in Addis Ababa’s poorest areas (Kolfe Keranio) we have trained 150 people to raise awareness of HIV and AIDS within their communities and amongst older people. This could reach 33,750 households.
• More than 900 people receive visits from home-based carers and we provided 466 loans to the most vulnerable families.
• 872 older people received psychosocial support through projects such as the traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremony.

Livelihoods

• 337 older people gained access to regular cash transfers and 307 received a regular hot meal.
• 138 people received monthly food rations and 586 received clothing and sanitary materials.
• 1,110 older people were provided with training to support them to earn money.

Public policy

• We are supporting the development of a new social protection policy which advocates for a social pension and have supported a pilot cash transfer programme in Tigray to build the case with the government.
• We successfully lobbied for the inclusion of older people in Ethiopia’s HIV and AIDS five-year strategic plan. The plan is now in the second year of implementation.

What next?

• This year we will rebuild five water ponds with the local communities of two districts and help them maintain livelihoods.
• We will strengthen the voice of older people to challenge age discrimination by supporting existing older people’s associations and setting up new ones.
• We will continue to improve the quality of health, HIV and AIDS, and care services for older people and those they support. Particularly ensuring that older people are included in malaria and TB programmes.

East Africa crisis photogallery

Our affiliates

Ethiopia Elderly and Pensioners National Association (EEPNA), Rift Valley Children and Women Development Organization (RCWDO)

Our partners

Accord, Action for Development (AFD), Agar Ethiopia Aregawian Erdata Mescha Dirijit, Assegedech Asfaw Older People Association, Chencha Older People Association, Dawit Aid for Aged People Association, Destitute Elders Welfare and Development Association, Eneredada Elder People Association, Gayo Pastoralist Development Initiative (GPDI), Integrated Holistic Approach Urban Development Association (IHA-UDP), AHISDO - Addis Hiwot Integrated and Sustainable Development Organisation, CBISDO - Community based integrated and sustainable Development Organisation, Medhin Ethiopia HIV Positive Elders Association, Pastorialist Welfare Organisation, Relief Society of Tigray (REST), SOS Sahel - Ethiopia, St. George Church Migbare Senai Dirijit (Welfare Association), Tesfa Development and Social Association, Voluntas Dei Institute (VDI), Women Support Association

Our donors

Age UK, Austiran Development Agency (ADA), BIG Lottery Fund (BLF), Disaster Emergency Committee (DEC), German Ministry of Development (BMZ), New Apostolic Church of Germany (NAK), Swedish International Developmant Agency (SIDA), Trocaire/Cafod/Sciaf, UK Department for International Devlopment (DFID), UN OCHA, World Granny