Addressing protection and multiple socio-economic needs through a triple nexus approach in South Sudan and Ethiopia

DCA Ethiopia

The issue

South Sudan and Ethiopia both face one of the worst humanitarian crises in their history, and the alarming situation in both countries leaves the most vulnerable populations in urgent need of humanitarian assistance and protection. South Sudan faces its highest ever levels of food insecurity and malnutrition with catastrophe or famine-like conditions, and Ethiopia is facing an alarming situation due to the Tigray conflict, combined with climatic shocks which has led to extensive loss of livelihoods. In both countries, the number of internally displaced people, returnees and refugees are rising, and their urgent needs are putting pressure on already stressed host communities’ ability to share limited resources.

The Project

This project therefore focuses on a combination of interventions in both South Sudan and Ethiopia whose combined effects save lives while supporting local capacities. The interventions are derived from both medium- to long-term as well as immediate life-saving support that strengthen the capacity and resilience of targeted communities, while contributing to social cohesion in a triple nexus approach with focus on the most vulnerable communities and households in Afar in Ethiopia and in Jonglei and Greater Pibor Administrative Area in South Sudan.

To achieve this, the project proposes complementary actions related to creating access to food, strengthening livelihood options, and building local capacity for protection, conflict mitigation and coordination. Accordingly, the expected outcomes of the project are:

• Outcome 1: Social cohesion among refugees, IDPs and host community is strengthened, and vulnerable persons protected.
• Outcome 2: Communities affected by multi-disasters such as conflict, floods, drought, desert locust and COVID-19, have improved food security and access to basic needs.
• Outcome 3: Self-reliance and livelihoods capacities of targeted communities are enhanced to sustainably meet food and other household needs.

Our work

DCA has supported relief projects in Ethiopia since the 1970s.

In 1982 DCA started working through local partners and in 2004 the country office in Addis Ababa was established.

In 2023 DCA Ethiopia has field offices in Sekota-Waghimra (Amhara Region), Semera (Afar Region), Robe Town (Bale, Oromia Region) and Gambella city (Gambella Region). DCA Ethiopia’s programme interventions target rural, peri-urban and urban poor, IDPs, refugees and their hosting communities as direct beneficiaries.

DCA works across the humanitarian-development-peace (HDP) nexus to bring about sustainability and cohesion. Additionally, DCA introduces innovative and appropriate technologies to address vulnerability, fill in knowledge and skills gaps, build local capacity, and when applicable, works closely with the private sector.