Bahir Dar, September 5, 2025
SOS Children’s Villages in Ethiopia officially launched its new project Building Beyond Conflict (BBC): Integrated Early Recovery and Humanitarian Response in Education, Protection, Livelihood & Well-being of Amid and Post-Conflict Communities in North Wollo and Waghimera zones of the Amhara region. The kick-off workshop, held at the Delano Hotel in Bahir Dar, brought together more than 75 participants, including government officials, civil society representatives, community leaders, and development partners.
This project, funded by the Hermann Gmeiner Fonds Deutschland and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Iceland, is designed to support 29,711 direct participants and more than 89,000 indirect participants across conflict-affected communities. Its focus areas include education, child protection, livelihoods, mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS), nutrition, and multi-purpose cash assistance.
In his keynote address, Mr. Sahlemariam Abebe, Multi-Country Director for Ethiopia and South Sudan, highlighted that Children are the country of tomorrow. “Through the Building Beyond Conflict project, we aim to bring lasting solutions to those most affected by conflict, especially women and children,” he emphasized.
Government representatives from the Bureau of Finance and Economic Development, the Disaster Risk Management, and regional/zonal administrations commended SOS Children’s Villages for its timely intervention. They underlined the urgent need for education and protection in Amhara, where more than 5,000 schools remain non-operational and over 68,000 people are displaced.
Closing the workshop, Mrs. Serkadis Atalie, Vice Head of the Regional Disaster Risk Management Commission, stressed that education is the foundation for building resilience: “Food support is critical, but education shapes the future. The Building Beyond Conflict project is a vital investment in the children and families of this region.”
The launch workshop fostered strong collaboration between SOS Children’s Villages in Ethiopia, Nexus Ethiopia, government stakeholders, and community representatives, laying the foundation for coordinated implementation and monitoring of the project.
With this initiative, SOS Children’s Villages in Ethiopia reaffirms its commitment to helping children, families, and communities rebuild their lives and look forward to a more hopeful future.
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