LWF Ethiopia refugee response goes back to 1983-87 with the Itang Refugee Resettlement project in Gambella. Since then in collaboration with the Ethiopian Government and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), LWF Ethiopia has been operating in five refugee camps: Aw-barre and Sheder camps for Somalis refugees in Jijiga since 2007, Buramino camp for Somali refugees in Dolo Ado since 2011, Somali region, in Bambasi camp for Sudanese refugees in Assosa, Benishangul Gumuz region since 2011 and Leitchour/Jewii camps for South Sudanese refugees in Gambella region since 2014. In 2015, LWF Ethiopia reached a total of 142,974 persons of concern through WASH, livelihoods, community-based psycho-social support (CBPS) and environmental protection activities. In 2016, LWF is operation in four refugee camp as it phased out its operation in Buramino refugee camp at the end of 2015.
Ethiopia is the second largest refugee hosting nation in Africa with over 905,831refugees who have sought refuge and protection in the country. Ethiopia maintains an open door policy to refugees and asylum seekers that has proven crucial in this volatile region. In collaboration with the Ethiopian Government and the United Nations High Commissioner for refugees (UNHCR), LWF Ethiopia is operating in four refugee camps: Aw-barre and Sheder camps for Somalis refugees in Jijiga since 2007, in Bambasi camp for Sudanese refugees in Assosa, Benishangul Gumuz region since 2011 and Leitchour/Jewii camps for South Sudanese refugees in Gambella region since 2014.
Our Response
LWF Ethiopia is assisting refugees and asylum seekers from Somalia, South Sudan and Sudan.
LWF Ethiopia refugee response goes back to 1983-87 with the Itang Refugee Resettlement project in Gambella. Since then in collaboration with the Ethiopian Government and the United Nations High Commissioner for refugees (UNHCR), LWF Ethiopia has been operating in five refugee camps.
In 2015, LWF Ethiopia reached a total of 142,974 persons of concern through WASH, livelihoods, community-based psycho-social support (CBPS) and environmental protection activities. At the end of 2015, it phased out its operation in Buramino refugee camp.
In 2019, we are active in Awabarre and Sheder camps for Somali refuges in Jijiga, Somali Region, in Bambasi camp for Sudanese refugees in Assosa, Benshangul-Gumuz region and in Jewii refugee camp for South Sudanese refugees in Gambella, providing:
- potable water (Awbare/Sheder, Bambasi and Jewii)
- hygiene and sanitation (Bambasi)
- Livelihoods (Bambasi and Awbarre/Sheder)
- Alternative energey (Bambasi)
- Environmental protection (Bambasi)
Somali Protracted Refugee Situation, a retrospective
LWF World Service Ethiopia began operating in Teferi ber refugee response project in Awbarre and Sheder refugee camps in 2007 following the influx of Somali refugees into Ethiopia. Since then LWF Ethiopia is implementing WASH and liveloods projects. Today, in 2016, the refugees -- who came to seek protection and basic services for a short time until the situation back home returns to normal -- are languishing in a protracted refugee situation. With competing and more headline-worthy refugee and other emergency situations around the world, access to acdequate basisc is diminishing and durable solutions such as local intergation, voluntary repatriation or resettlement remain elusive as ever.
Nine years on, LWF World Service Ethiopia continues to provide basic services and protection to Somali refugees. We invite you to: Somali protracted Refugee Situation in Jijiga, a retrospective. Thank you for your continued support.
AwBarre Refugee Camp, circa 2008
Ibid.
Ibid.
Traditional well
LWF-installed shallow well with a hand pump
And then there was water!
Queuing to fetch water, now nearby
ibid
The ubiquitous yellow water jerrycans
ibid
Produce from drip irrigation
Drip irrigation as part of the livelihoods project, Awbarre refugee camp
Children in Aw-Barre refugee camp
Eberhardt Hitzler, Director of LWF World Service Geneva visiting and sharing a luagh with refugee children. Also onthe photo the ex LWF World Service Ethiopia Resident representative, Rev. John Halvorson and Program Coordinator, Ato Bodja.
Visiting a water point
Song and dance, a centre of Somali life
Young Somali women
Gone harvesting!
More about our work
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Insufficient Funding Compounds Situation for over 90,000 South Sudanese
(LWI) – Thirteen-year-old Panum arrived in Ethiopia’s western region of Gambella accompanied by her elder sister Nyamoun. “Our father got killed in the war and our mother ...
