Informing policymakers with evidence on community-based initiatives to address adolescent girls’ health, livelihood, conflict and poverty dynamics: Vicious Cycle of Poverty in Ethiopia
1
Research and Consultancy, Kilimanjaro Global, addis ababa, Ethiopia
Popul. Med. 2026;8(Supplement Supplement 1):A1996
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
Ethiopia is Sub-Saharan Africa’s second most populous nation with a population of 102 million in 202 . During the last three decades, Ethiopia faced multiple shocks ranging from locust infestation, droughts, floods, HIV/AIDS to COVID-19 pandemics and protracted internal conflicts that have had a devastating impact on the socioeconomic life of the society despite a resilient economic growth recorded since 2005. Against this backdrop and recognizing the challenges many development partners and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) including International NGOs, among others, like CARE Ethiopia/International’s “Social Analysis and Action (SAA) and Village Saving and Loans Association (VSLA) programs through the so called “TESFA” Project. “TESFA” in Amharic means HOPE. The projects in Amhara and Abdiboru in West Harerge Zone in Oromia region have been implemented as community-based programs targeting adolescent girls and youth to address community social norms, education, health and economic empowerment of women. This study aims to draw lessons from the varied interventions to improve the livelihood of adolescent girls in addressing their unmet needs in Adolecesent and Reproductive Health-Rights including family planning and economic empowerment areas.
METHODS:
A qualitative and quantitative study combined with a literature review, interviewed a total of 47 key informants from the program and project intervention regions and woredas. KEY
RESULTS:
TESFA impacted the lives of more than 5,000 girls with the goal of achieving measurable positive change in their economic empowerment, sexual and reproductive health (SRH) status. Using these two piloted, tested and implemented community-based interventions have contributed to overcome the recent man-made and natural disasters: COVID-Pandemic, the Internal conflicts and climate related. CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION: Poverty reduction strategies targeting adolescent girls not only through government macro-level interventions but also innovative community-based interventions will be required through broader engagement of the development partners and community ownership.
Ethiopia is Sub-Saharan Africa’s second most populous nation with a population of 102 million in 202 . During the last three decades, Ethiopia faced multiple shocks ranging from locust infestation, droughts, floods, HIV/AIDS to COVID-19 pandemics and protracted internal conflicts that have had a devastating impact on the socioeconomic life of the society despite a resilient economic growth recorded since 2005. Against this backdrop and recognizing the challenges many development partners and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) including International NGOs, among others, like CARE Ethiopia/International’s “Social Analysis and Action (SAA) and Village Saving and Loans Association (VSLA) programs through the so called “TESFA” Project. “TESFA” in Amharic means HOPE. The projects in Amhara and Abdiboru in West Harerge Zone in Oromia region have been implemented as community-based programs targeting adolescent girls and youth to address community social norms, education, health and economic empowerment of women. This study aims to draw lessons from the varied interventions to improve the livelihood of adolescent girls in addressing their unmet needs in Adolecesent and Reproductive Health-Rights including family planning and economic empowerment areas.
METHODS:
A qualitative and quantitative study combined with a literature review, interviewed a total of 47 key informants from the program and project intervention regions and woredas. KEY
RESULTS:
TESFA impacted the lives of more than 5,000 girls with the goal of achieving measurable positive change in their economic empowerment, sexual and reproductive health (SRH) status. Using these two piloted, tested and implemented community-based interventions have contributed to overcome the recent man-made and natural disasters: COVID-Pandemic, the Internal conflicts and climate related. CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION: Poverty reduction strategies targeting adolescent girls not only through government macro-level interventions but also innovative community-based interventions will be required through broader engagement of the development partners and community ownership.
| eISSN: | 2654-1459 |
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