With the support of SOS Children's Villages in Norway and Heimstaden Bostad, SOS Children's Villages in Ethiopia has officially launched the Children in Street Situations (CiSS) project in Dessie and Kombolcha, marking a significant expansion of its efforts to support underserved children and young people across Ethiopia.
The new three-year initiative, which will be implemented from 2026 to 2028, is built on the ongoing CiSS project in Addis Ababa, Adama, and Dire Dawa. Through a comprehensive and community-based approach, the project aims to help children safely exit street life, reunite with their families whenever possible, and access the care, protection, and opportunities they need to thrive.
The project will directly support 1,530 children living in or at risk of street situations, 333 young people, and 840 families by strengthening their capacity to provide safe and nurturing care. Beyond these direct beneficiaries, the initiative is expected to positively impact more than 6,000 community members through improved child protection systems, awareness raising, strengthened social services, and closer collaboration with local institutions.
Implemented in partnership with local government structures, schools, and community-based organizations, the project addresses the root causes that push children to the streets, including poverty, family separation, exclusion from education, unemployment, and limited access to social protection services. By combining family strengthening, education support, livelihood interventions, child protection services, and youth empowerment, the initiative seeks to create lasting solutions that enable children and young people to rebuild their lives within supportive family and community environments.
A shared commitment
The official kick-off workshop was held on July 7, 2026, at Lucy Hotel in Dessie, bringing together senior representatives from regional, and local government institutions, development partners, civil society organizations, academia, and representatives from SOS Children's Villages in Ethiopia, including the senior management team and programme staff.
Among the distinguished participants were Dessie City Mayor Mr. Samuel Molalign, Kombolcha City Deputy Mayor Mr. Wondwossen Lisanework, Head of the Amhara Regional State Government Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Fund Office (ARRFO) Dr. Abate Getahun (PhD), Wollo University President Dr. Awol Seid, representatives from the Amhara National Regional State Education, Finance and the Women, Children and Youth Affairs Bureaus, representatives from sector offices and development partners, the Executive Director of the Forum for Sustainable Child Empowerment (FSCE), the local implementing partner of the project, as well as the Multi-Country Director for SOS Children's Villages in Ethiopia and South Sudan, Mr. Sahlemariam Abebe, together with members of the organization's senior management team and programme staff.
The workshop opened with welcoming remarks by Mr. Samuel Molalign, followed by a keynote address from Mr. Wondwossen Lisanework, both emphasizing the importance of collaborative efforts to improve the protection, care, and future prospects of children and young people in street situations.
Strengthening partnerships for lasting impact
In his keynote remarks, Mr. Sahlemariam Abebe emphasized that the launch represented more than the beginning of a new project.
"Today's gathering is not only the official launch of a project, it is a shared commitment to changing the lives of children and young people who face some of the greatest risks in our communities."
He noted that Dessie alone is estimated to have more than 5,000 children and young people living on the streets, exposing them to multiple forms of violence, exploitation, neglect, and social exclusion.
"Our response goes beyond reunifying children and youth with their families," he said. "We are also investing in strengthening families' economic resilience, promoting positive parenting, creating education and livelihood opportunities, and working hand in hand with government institutions and communities to build stronger child protection systems."
Mr. Sahlemariam also announced a landmark commitment from the ARRFO, which pledged ETB 50 million as matching support for the implementation of the Children in Street Situations project in Dessie and Kombolcha. The contribution complements the ETB 194,781,513.63 secured through the partnership between SOS Children's Villages in Ethiopia and SOS Children's Villages in Norway, bringing the total project investment to ETB 244,781,513.63.
Describing the contribution as a powerful demonstration of government ownership and partnership, Mr. Sahlemariam expressed his sincere appreciation to ARRFO and the Amhara Regional State Government for their commitment to improving the lives of underserved children and youth.
Participants also received a comprehensive presentation on the project from Mrs. Martha Alemayehu, Portfolio Manager for the Alternative Care Programme at SOS Children's Villages in Ethiopia, who outlined the project's objectives, implementation strategies, expected outcomes, and long-term vision.
Introducing the local implementing partner organization, Mr. Yared Degefu presented the Forum for Sustainable Child Empowerment (FSCE), highlighting the organization's experience in community development and child-focused programming, and its role in ensuring effective local implementation.
The workshop further featured a panel discussion with Mr. Lijalem Baileyegn, Fund Development and Communications Director; Mrs. Achamyelesh Teferi, Programme Development, Innovation and Quality Assurance Director of SOS Children’s Villages in Ethiopia; and Mr. Meseret Gizachew, Location Programme Director of SOS Children's Village Bahir Dar. The discussion underscored the importance of community ownership, cross-sector collaboration, and evidence-based programming in creating sustainable solutions for children in street situations.
Representatives from government institutions and partner organizations welcomed the expansion of the initiative to Dessie and Kombolcha, recognizing the positive outcomes achieved through similar interventions in other parts of the country. They reaffirmed their commitment to coordinated implementation and emphasized the importance of continued collaboration to strengthen child protection systems and improve access to essential services for vulnerable children and families.
Looking ahead
Delivering the closing remarks, Dr. Abate Getahun (PhD), Head of the ARRFO, reflected on the challenges facing children and young people in communities recovering from conflict. He noted that many children remain vulnerable, including those living on the streets, separated from their families, or excluded from education. Recognizing the proven impact of SOS Children's Villages in Ethiopia's work, he described ARRFO's financial commitment as an investment in sustainable, long-term change.
The launch of the Children in Street Situations project marks another important milestone in SOS Children's Villages in Ethiopia's continued efforts to ensure that every child and youth grows up with the care, protection, and opportunities they need to reach their full potential. By combining strong government ownership, committed development partners, and community-led implementation, the initiative is expected to create lasting change for thousands of children, young people, and families across Dessie and Kombolcha.