Ethiopia
NCA has worked in Ethiopia since 1974, partnering with faith-based and local organizations to strengthen civil society and support vulnerable groups, especially women and youth. Our work focuses on long-term development and humanitarian response, with key results in water and sanitation, climate resilience, and ending harmful practices like FGM and child marriage.
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Challenges and response
Conflict & displacement
NCA Ethiopia promotes social cohesion by supporting inclusive peace processes, providing community-based psychosocial support, and delivering life-saving services to conflict-affected communities, while prioritising the protection of individuals and groups at risk of violence, ensuring their safety, dignity, and well-being during and after crises.
Inadequate access to clean water & sanitation services
NCA Ethiopia invests in sustainable WASH infrastructure, rehabilitates water systems, and promotes safe hygiene and sanitation practices. NCA also collaborates with communities and the private sector to produce menstrual hygiene management (MHM) products, provide accessible MHM kits, and create safe facilities for women and girls to wash and change with privacy and dignity.
Climate shocks & food insecurity
NCA Ethiopia mobilises communities to prepare for and respond to climate-related shocks while promoting soil and water conservation and supporting climate-smart agriculture, such as small-scale irrigation. NCA also empowers low-income and women-headed households with alternative livelihoods, fostering sustainable income generation and long-term climate adaptation.
Gender inequality & Gender-based Violence (GBV)
NCA Ethiopia works with faith communities to change social norms around GBV and eliminate harmful practices like child marriage and female genital mutilation. By collaborating with faith leaders as influencers, as well as with community-based organisations and government bodies, NCA advocates for policy change and promotes long-term transformation.
Norwegian Church Aid in Ethiopia
Been present since
1974
in Ethiopia
In 2024, our turnover was
8.842.210
EURO in Ethiopia
Partners
- Action for Development (AFD)
- Ethiopia Muslim Relief and Development Association (EMRDA)
- Ethiopian Catholic Church Social and Development Commission (ECC-SACDO) Meki, and Hawassa Branches
- Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus–Development and Social Service Commission (EECMY-DASSC)
- Ethiopian Orthodox Church–Development and Inter-Church Aid Commission (EOC-DICAC)
- Inter-Religious Council of Ethiopia (IRCE)
- Organization for Welfare and Development in Action (OWDA)
- Ethiopia Recycling Community Organization (PETCO)
- Tamra for Social Development Organization (TSD)
- World Agroforestry (ICRAF)
Our donors in Ethiopia
All donors
Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad)
United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR)
United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)
United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN OCHA)
United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women (UN Women)
Christian Aid
Swedish Embassy in Addis Ababa through Pingstmissionens Utvecklingssamarbete (PMU)
Protestant Agency for Diakonia and Development (PADD)
GIZ Norway’s International Climate and Forest Initiative (NICFI)
ACT Church of Sweden Alliance Micro Finance (AMAS AS)
Contact
Ethio-China Friendship Avenue
P.O.Box: 1248
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Tel: +251 115 512922
Facebook: facebook.com/ncaethiopia
Instagram: @ncaethiopia
Why
The growing volume of waste and the lack of circularity in production materials pose significant risks to global health and ecosystems. Plastic waste contributes 3.4% and organic waste contributes 5%. Ethiopia generates 900,000 tons of plastic waste annually, with only 5% recycled. Poor waste management, limited funding, and lack of awareness worsen environmental damage.
How
In 2019, NCA Ethiopia launched the "Waste for Value" pilot project in the Gambella region, targeting plastic waste management in the Jewi Refugee Camp and host communities. By 2023, it expanded to the Oromia region. The project supports small enterprises in plastic and paper recycling, offering financial, technical, and operational guidance. It empowers marginalised individuals, helps establish sustainable businesses and promotes local recycling initiatives.
Result
The Waste for Value projects provide stable income to individuals with disabilities, low-income individuals, and unemployed women and youth, significantly contributing to Ethiopia's circular economy. They raise awareness about the links between waste, greenhouse gas emissions, and environmental degradation. Successfully implemented in several Ethiopian cities and refugee camps, these projects will now be scaled up to other areas where NCA operates.
Local partner on this project
Tamra for Social Development, Meki Catholic Church, PETCO Ethiopia, NCA Gambella.
Donor
BEWI, Kavli Fondet, Innovation Norway.
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NCA Ethiopia's Contextualised Accountability Framework Annex 1 Standards and CommitmentsDownload file
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