Last week marked one year since the start of the conflict in Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region. Tragically the conflict is widening and the humanitarian impact is devastating. The Federal Government of Ethiopia declared a nationwide state of emergency on 2nd November 2021 as fighting intensified in the Northern Amhara towns of Dessie and Kombolcha.
Mr Sahlemariam Abebe, National Director of SOS Children’s Villages in Ethiopia, says: “We will continue to closely follow the situation in the country and take all the necessary precautions to protect children, families, and staff across the country.”
There are seven SOS Children’s Villages in Ethiopia and currently only the Mekelle Village in Tigray and programme beneficiaries in the northern Amhara region are directly affected by the crisis. The children, programme participants and co-workers in the other villages and locations are well and safe. On 4th November 2021, the National Office received an email from the Location Programme Director in Mekelle confirming that all the children, families and staff are doing well. The national director noted: “We are doing everything possible through a legitimate route to ensure the safety and well-being of everyone at the children’s village.”
