Ongoing drought in some regions of Ethiopia, compounded by recent conflict in the north, have had devastating impact on livelihoods. School feeding has helped ease the challenges of food insecurity on families and kept children in school amid crises.

A US$10 million GPE grant was implemented by Save the Children in partnership with the Ministry of Education from 2022 to 2023, providing children in conflict and those in drought-affected regions with equitable access to quality, safe and inclusive pre-primary and primary education.

The program built on the successes of a previous GPE grant of $20 million for 2020-2022. School meals was the core intervention of both programs, which also focused on water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), menstrual health, increased community/parental awareness on children’s enrollment in education, and system strengthening.

Tesfanesh: School meals alleviate financial burdens

Tesfanesh, 17, lives in the Karat Zuria district of Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples’ Region, Ethiopia. She has two brothers and three sisters. As the eldest, she helps support the family financially.

One morning in 2022, Tesfanesh went to sell grain at the nearby market. With the intention of returning early for school, she hired a motorcycle taxi. Tesfanesh, however, was unable to return.

The taxi was involved in a serious collision, and she was severely injured: her leg required amputation. Because of her unexpected impairment and her family's unstable financial situation, she was unable to go back to school.

Thanks to the GPE-funded school feeding program at Mechelo Primary School, Tesfanesh was able to re-enroll following her medical treatment. The school serves 875 students of whom 55% are female, and the school feeding program reduced food insecurity and alleviated financial burdens that can impede regular school attendance.

Tesfanesh has been able to dedicate herself to her studies and has become the top scorer among 7^th graders at her school.

Kusse: Reliable meals help him attend school

Kusse, 10, is in 4^th grade at Gesergio Primary School in Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples’ Region, Ethiopia. He lives with his parents, two younger brothers and a sister.

The family has faced considerable hardship since Kusse's mother suffered a grave accident while farming. Kusse took on economic responsibilities to supplement his father's small income, growing maize on a small plot of land.

Thanks to GPE funding, Kusse has been able to attend school without worrying about feeding himself and his brothers. The school feeding program has provided him and other children from vulnerable families with access to education despite facing economic hardship.

Sofia: Menstrual hygiene and sanitary pads keep her in school

Sofia, 16, is in 7^th grade at Chilanko Primary School in the Somali region of Ethiopia. She is the third of seven children in her family, which includes four boys and three girls. Sofia is among the top performing students in her class despite assisting her parents and caring for her younger siblings after school.

According to data gathered from the Chilanko Primary School administration, adolescent girls, roughly the age of Sofia, often miss school for several days each month due to lacking proper menstrual hygiene products to manage their periods. Girls from extremely low-income households are most likely to miss school, as they cannot afford to buy sanitary pads.

To ensure student safety and dignity, Save the Children, with GPE funding, distributed reusable sanitary pads to Sofia and her peers through girls' clubs at the school.

Female teachers conducted trainings on menstrual hygiene management, and the number of girls missing school has decreased, according to testimony from Chilanko Primary School management.

“I became an expert in managing my menstrual experiences due to the availability of reusable sanitary pads and education on managing my menstrual hygiene,” says Sofia with pride.

* Name has been changed.