Download Our History Timeline (pdf)
1974
The first major famine strikes Ethiopia.
NCA starts operation in Ethiopia upon the invitation of EECMY with emergency relief in Borena and North Omo (Derashe and Konso) in response to the famine.
NCA together with Church based actors establishes Consortium of Christian Relief and Development Association (CCRDA) in Ethiopia.
1979
The Bale Water in Ethiopia Development program starts.
Name Change: Norwegian Church Relief becomes Norwegian Church Aid.
1984-1987
NCA responds to yet another emergency relief operation in Borena and North Omo (Derashe and Konso).
1987-1990
Joint Relief Program in cooperation with Catholic Relief Service, Ethiopian Evangelical Church Me- kane Yesus, Ethiopian Orthodox Church, Ethiopian Catholic Church, & Lutheran World Federation to assist war affected communities in the Northern part of Ethiopia (Amhara and Tigray regions).
1987
NCA’s program shifts from relief work to long term development activities.
NCA builds its’ own office in Wollo Sefer, Addis Ababa.
Dello Development Project starts in Bale with major emphasis on agriculture and health following relief operations in the area in 1985/86
1991
Consolidation of NCA’s programs in line with new realities of government change in Ethiopia.
1992
NCA’s water development program expands to SNNPR (Konso and South Omo and Sidama.
1993
Long term rural development programs start with development wings of Ethiopian Orthodox Church, Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus, and Relief Society of Tigray.
1992-1996
Socio-infrastructural rehabilitation program for war affected areas in Afder and Liben Zones, Somali region.
1995-1999
NCA launches its' country strategy with six strategic components.
1996
HIV/AIDS intervention starts with Organization for Social Service for AIDS (OSSA).
NCA privatizes mechanical workshop and hands it over to NOR Automotive Ltd.
1997-2008
NCA constructs relief food out- lets in Amhara, Oromia, SNNPR, Tigray and Afar.
1997
The first ACT International Ethiopia forum establishes, and the first Ethiopia ACT Appeal launches.
1998
NCA assists in the facilitation of an inter-religious peace initiative by religious leaders in Ethiopia and Eritrea for peaceful resolution of the Ethio-Eritrean conflict.
2000
NCA responds to emergency in Somali, Oromia and SNNPR through a supplementary feeding program.
2000-2004
NCA renews Country Strategy for Ethiopia with components; water and sanitation, food security and emergency, capacity building, HIV and AIDS, civil society for good governance, and gender based violence.
2001
NRK TV Campaign raises fund for NCA Ethiopia HIV/AIDS program.
2005-2009
NCA renews Country Strategy for Ethiopia with components; water and sanitation, food security & emergency, capacity building, HIV/AIDS, civil society for good governance, and gender based violence
2006-2008
NCA enters into strategic partnership with the Royal Norwegian Embassy on good governance.
2008
NCA enters into a first phase of a strategic partnership with the Royal Norwegian Embassy and Save the Children Norway on FGM.
2009-2013
Faith Based Organizations declare against Female Genital Mutilation and Gender Based Violence.
2010
All Africa Council of Churches appoints first special envoy to the AU. NCA hosts it.
2010
NCA supports the establishment of the Inter Religious Council of Ethiopia (IRCE).
2010-2015
NCA renews Country Strategy for Ethiopia with components: Reproductive Health, Social Mitigation of HIV/AIDS, WASH, Climate Change Adaptation and Livelihoods.
2011-2012
NCA responds to emergency in Dollo Ado and provides clean water for refugees from Somalia.
2013
NCA shifts from direct implementation of its WASH programmes and starts implementing through local partners; development wings of Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church, Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus, and Ethiopian Kale Hiwot Church.
2014
Ethiopia is selected as one of eight countries to benefit from the NRK TV Campaign: "Water for a million".
2015
NCA starts an emergency response for South Sudanese Refugees in Gambella.
NCA phases out its HIV/AIDS programme.
2016-2020
NCA Ethiopia kicks off a new country strategy programme (2016-2019), focusing on Reproductive Health; Water, Sanitation and Hygiene; Climate Resilience; and Humanitarian Emergency.
2016-2018: NCA Ethiopia responds to the El-Nino and La-Nina induced droughts in North Shoa, East-Hararghe, and Fafen Zones of Amhara, Oromia, and Somali regions respectively. A joint Norwegian Consortium, together with local implementing partners, responds in two phases to drought affected and internally displaced people in Oromia and Somali Regions.
2015/16-2019: NCA Ethiopia implements NRK Telethon Campaign funded WASH Programme with NOK 30 million for 159,648 people.
2016-ongoing: NCA Ethiopia and Dan Church Aid provide joint humanitarian assistance for South Sudanese Refugees in Gambella Region.
2016-2018: The country office enters into a long-term strategic partnership with UNFPA on child marriage, FGM, and gender-based violence.
2016: NCA Ethiopia establishes WASH implementing partners forum.
2017
Humanitarian Quality Assurance Initiative (HQAI) recertifies NCA Ethiopia for the Core Humanitarian Standards (CHS).
NCA Ethiopia provides humanitarian assistance for South Sudanese Refugees in Benishangul-Gumuz.
The Ethiopian Orthodox Church introduces a theological reflection on Early, Child and Forced Marriage.
2018
NCA Ethiopia enters into an agreement with the Norwegian Embassy and the Norwegian International Climate & Forest Initiative to implement the Church Forests project in Amhara and Oromia Regions, together with the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church.
2019
NCA Ethiopia launches a new peacebuilding programme after it was discontinued in 2013. The programme launches jointly with ACT Church of Sweden with funding from the Swedish Embassy.
NCA Ethiopia starts new cooperation with the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women (UN Women) to work on ending Violence Against Women and Girls through faith actors in Amhara, Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples State, Gambella and Somali regions.
NCA Ethiopia responds to Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) humanitarian emergency needs of internally displaced people in Dawa Zone, Somali Region with support from United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN OCHA).
NCA Ethiopia starts the implementation of the Waste for Value pilot project in Gambella. The project engages refugees and host communities to organize, collect, and sell plastic and metal waste for a recycling company, enabling them to generate income while preserving the environment.
The Government of Ethiopia launches the National Costed Roadmap to End Child Marriage and Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C). NCA Ethiopia, as a steering committee member of the National Alliance, provides financial and technical support during the process of developing the roadmap.
NCA Ethiopia launches a new peacebuilding programme after it was discontinued in 2013. The programme launches jointly with ACT Church of Sweden with funding from the Swedish Embassy.
The country office phases out its 2016-2019 country strategy; and designs a new five-year country strategy document (2020-2024).