Humanitarian Assistance for South Sudanese Refugees in Ethiopia - HelpAge 2021

February 2021 - Prior to the outbreak of conflict in the Tigray region in late 2020 Ethiopia was already facing ongoing acute humanitarian need arising from sporadic but widespread intercommunal conflict regional drought and flooding swarms of desert locusts the economic pressure of the COVID-19 pandemic and the impact of hosting nearly 800 000 refugees throughout the country. Together these crises have led to widespread food insecurity high levels of acute malnutrition and significant population displacement. Although ongoing fighting and other access restrictions have hindered full needs assessments in Tigray an estimated 29 million people in Ethiopia are likely to require humanitarian assistance in 2021. With GAC’s support HelpAge is ensuring access to life-saving health nutrition and protection services for elderly disabled or house-bound South Sudanese refugees living in Ethiopia’s Gambella region. Project activities include: (1) providing home-based health and nutrition services to elderly disabled or vulnerable refugees; (2) providing fresh food rations to nutritionally vulnerable elderly refugees; and (3) providing case-management and other protection services for elderly or vulnerable refugees.

The expected outcomes for this project include: (1) improved health and nutrition status; and (2) reduced vulnerability amongst elderly or highly vulnerable refugees in Gambella region. The expected ultimate outcome is lives saved suffering alleviated and human dignity maintained in countries experiencing humanitarian crises or acute food insecurity.