The Issue
Ethiopia is currently experiencing one of the most complex humanitarian situations in the region, with millions of people in urgent need of assistance. Prolonged conflict in several parts of the country have led to widespread displacement, disrupted livelihoods, and weakened access to essential services such as healthcare, education, and clean water. At the same time, the country is grappling with recurring droughts and floods—intensified by climate change—which have severely affected agricultural production and food security.
The Project
Between June 2023 and April 2025, the Ethiopia Cash Consortium (ECC) has been implementing a coordinated and cost-effective multipurpose cash assistance program designed to respond to urgent humanitarian needs across the country. This initiative is led by Save the Children in collaboration with DanChurchAid (DCA), People in Need (PIN), Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), Action Against Hunger (ACF), Danish Refugee Council (DRC), and Ethiopian Red Cross Society (ERCS). Together, these organizations form the ECC and contribute to the broader humanitarian response by delivering harmonized and impactful cash-based assistance.
Building on lessons learned and good practices from the first phase of implementation, the second phase of the project (May 2025 – April 2026) seeks to strengthen support for the most vulnerable households. The primary objective of the project is to support the critical basic needs of most vulnerable households, whilst empowering families in making spending decisions based on their prioritization of urgent needs. During this Phase, the consortium will be operational in 13 Zones across 5 regions: Somali, Tigray, Amhara, Benishangul-Gumuz, Oromia.
Within this broader framework, DanChurchAid focuses its efforts in the Gazgibla and Sehala districts of the Waghimra Zone and Lalibela district of the North Wollo Zone in the Amhara region. The intervention will target individuals and communities affected by conflict, displacement, and climate-related hazards, aiming to restore dignity, resilience, and self-reliance through flexible and needs-based cash assistance.
The Change
The Consortium will reach a total of 109,005 individuals across targeted regions through the provision of multipurpose cash assistance. This support is designed to help households meet their most urgent and diverse needs, including food, shelter, health care, education, and other essential items. By delivering cash directly to affected populations, the intervention enables families to make informed spending decisions based on their unique priorities and circumstances.
Our Partners
Save the Children has been operational in Ethiopia for more than 60 years with a presence in 8 regions, and a strong record in implementing multi-sector humanitarian and development programs.
Action Against Hunger has been operational in Ethiopia for over 36 years with presence in 6 regions including Tigray and Somali. Action Against Hunger has a strong record in multi-sectoral and integrated humanitarian and resilience building programs.
Norwegian Refugee Council has been active in Ethiopia since 2011, in EiE, WASH, shelter, food security and livelihood, with high level of Multi-Purpose Cash Assistance.
People in Need (PIN) has also been working in Ethiopia since 2003 and has been implementing both emergency and development projects focused on WASH, Shelter, Multi-Purpose Cash Assistance, Education and Agriculture.
Danish Red Cross is the chosen partner from the Ethiopian Red Cross Movement to join as co-partner in this action. Danish Red Cross will work with Ethiopian Red Cross as the local implementing partner. Danish Red Cross is the co-chair of the Ethiopian Red Cross Movements -wide “cash working group” and has been supporting the capacity development of Ethiopian Red Cross.
Our Work
DCA has supported relief projects in Ethiopia since the 1970s. It operated through local partners since 1982 and in 2004 the country office in Addis Ababa was established. DCA 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, Inter, refugees and their hosting communities as direct beneficiaries. DCA works across the humanitarian-development-peace 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.
About the Project
- Title: To meet immediate basic needs through multi-purpose cash assistance in Ethiopia, Phase 2
- Duration: 01/05/2025 to 30/04/2026
- Donor: European Union
- Amount: 7,368,421Euros (7,000,000 EU Humanitarian Aid contribution & 5% contribution from partners)
- Consortium Partners: Save the Children, AAH, PIN, NRC, DRC
