World Jewish Relief are launching an emergency response in Ethiopia, in partnership with trusted NGO NALA. Since November 2020, conflict in the Northern region of Tigray has resulted in a severe humanitarian crisis affecting millions. According to the UN, more than 1.7 million people have been forced to flee their homes and are now displaced within the country. More than 5 million people require urgent assistance.

Internally displaced Ethiopians are mostly living in makeshift shelters, many based within school compounds. As conflict and instability rages on, for most there is no prospect of returning to their home communities. Our response is focused on improving living conditions for this population in limbo.

Life in makeshift shelters is extremely harsh, and hygiene and sanitation conditions are poor. The rainy season has just begun, threatening to destroy temporary structures and leave even more people without shelter.

Using our Disaster Fund, funding dedicated to enabling us to respond at speed to humanitarian crises of any scale, we are providing the following assistance:

• 440 mattresses and 800 blankets to those most in need, including pregnant and breastfeeding women, many of whom sleep outside.
• Three 5,000 litre water tanks providing safe drinking water at makeshift camps.
• Handwashing stations in strategic locations at five makeshift camps, for example next to latrines, to help stop the spread of disease and infection.

Our response will be led by NALA’s local staff based within the community.

NALA distributes emergency relief to those in urgent need.

Whilst coordinating this immediate response, we will simultaneously monitor the situation on the ground and stay in close contact with our partner, with a view to launching a larger-scale response should the urgent need arise.

Learn more and donate to our Disaster Fund today.

Header photo by Achilli Family.