Ethiopia

From emergency nutrition to long-term health

With over 40 years of operational presence in Ethiopia, GOAL continues to be a trusted leader in delivering lifesaving and development-focused health and nutrition interventions. In 2024 alone, GOAL provided critical support to vulnerable communities, treating 22,674 children for severe acute malnutrition (SAM) through Outpatient Therapeutic Programs (OTP), and managing 463 SAM cases in Stabilization Centers (SC). Through Targeted and Blanket Supplementary Feeding Programs (TSFP and BSFP), 26,657 children and 45,014 pregnant and lactating women (PLW) received vital nutrition support, while 31,607 children were reached with blanket feeding services. These interventions were delivered through 560 strengthened OTP and SC sites. GOAL also facilitated 420,966 medical consultations, administered routine immunizations to 150,833 children, and supported 8,315 safe deliveries—contributing to improved health outcomes and resilience in high-need areas.

Complementing service delivery with systems strengthening, GOAL has invested heavily in local capacity building and community engagement. In 2024, 970 health extension workers (HEWs) and health workers (HWs) were trained on Essential Nutrition Actions, with an additional 1,651 trained in Essential Health Services. Community outreach efforts reached 179,611 caregivers and PLWs through Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF/IYCF-E) sessions and 185,491 individuals via targeted behavior change communication. In collaboration with the Ministry of Health, GOAL continues to implement Community-Based Management of Acute Malnutrition (CMAM) integrated with maternal, neonatal, and child health (MNCH) services.

Moreover, as a key partner in the USAID/BHA-funded Joint Emergency Operation (JEOP 2.0), GOAL delivers lifesaving nutrition assistance across 18 woredas in Tigray and Amhara, reaching over 75,000 children and PLW. These efforts are reinforced by training 1,248 healthcare providers in acute malnutrition management and IYCF, supporting 179 public health facilities, and strengthening health system resilience through outbreak preparedness and response to diseases such as cholera, measles, and malaria. Additionally, GOAL continues to champion innovation through initiatives like the Nutrition Impact and Positive Practice (NIPP) program and the MAMI-RISE clinical trial, contributing to global evidence on improving nutrition outcomes for at-risk infants. These efforts reflect GOAL’s commitment to scalable, locally driven solutions that bridge immediate needs with long-term development goals.

From emergency response to longterm access

GOAL Ethiopia draws on over two decades of expertise to deliver impactful WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) interventions, combining emergency responsiveness with long-term systems strengthening. In 2022–23, GOAL provided lifesaving WASH services to over 600,000 people across drought- and conflict-affected regions like Oromia, Somali, Amhara, and Tigray. As a lead actor in Ethiopia’s WASH Rapid Response Mechanism, GOAL’s operational agility and strong local partnerships enable it to scale effectively during crises, delivering safe water, sanitation, hygiene promotion, and essential non-food items.

Beyond emergencies, GOAL integrates WASH into health systems, enhancing institutional resilience and improving infection prevention and control (IPC) using the WHO’s WASH FIT approach. These efforts include upgrading WASH infrastructure in 45 health facilities, training over 180 health staff, and establishing governance mechanisms like facility-level WASH committees. GOAL also leads in sustainable, climate-smart WASH programming, collaborating with government systems and private sector actors to strengthen local supply chains and promote renewable energy solutions. By converting 17 water points to solar-powered systems, GOAL delivers reliable water access to underserved communities while reducing carbon emissions, advancing Ethiopia’s Beyond ODF and Tsedu-Ethiopia campaigns.

Sustainable livelihoods to enhance food security

GOAL, in collaboration with partners, is advancing market-led and resilience-focused development across rural Ethiopia by catalyzing private sector engagement and empowering vulnerable households, particularly women, to build sustainable livelihoods. Through the USAID-funded Resilience in Pastoral Areas – South (RIPA-S) program (2020–2025), GOAL has facilitated strategic private sector co-investments that benefit 117,000 smallholder households across three regions. Key interventions include the establishment of sustainable veterinary networks, climate-resilient seed systems, and digital financial services, which have expanded access to loans, savings, and insurance, bolstering household resilience to climate and market shocks. In 2024, notable achievements included strengthened market systems through business-to-business linkage events, technical capacity building, and enterprise support. As a result, 16,631 individuals (48% women) generated over 28.4 million Birr in income through the sale of 99,740 improved livestock and veterinary products via local enterprises.

Beyond pastoral resilience, GOAL continues to drive inclusive development and poverty alleviation through multi-sectoral initiatives such as the Irish Civil Society Program (ICSP), reaching 181,489 vulnerable individuals (81% women and girls) in Oromia, Addis Ababa, and Hawassa. Integrated interventions span nutrition-sensitive agriculture, WASH, protection, and community-based health insurance, and have enabled the graduation of 100 ultra-poor households from poverty through the Graduation Approach. Under the Resilience Food Security Activity (RFSA), GOAL further strengthens livestock value chains, veterinary services, and youth-led enterprise development in Oromia, while fostering public-private partnerships that have supported large-scale livestock vaccination campaigns. These programs exemplify GOAL’s commitment to scalable, evidence-based solutions that bridge humanitarian response with long-term, community-driven development.

Helping vulnerable communities fleeing conflict & persecution

GOAL Ethiopia brings over 15 years of proven experience in refugee response, delivering integrated, multi-sectoral assistance to Somali, Eritrean, South Sudanese, and Sudanese refugees across Afar, Gambella, Benishangul-Gumuz, and Amhara regions. Its holistic approach combines lifesaving and resilience-building interventions across health, nutrition, WASH, livelihoods, and climate-smart agriculture. Prioritizing vulnerable populations, particularly women, children, and individuals with specific needs, GOAL provides critical services such as emergency maternal care, communicable disease prevention, and CMAM/IMAM-based nutrition support. Social and Behavior Change Communication (SBCC) strategies are systematically integrated to promote healthy practices, enhance service uptake, and strengthen food and nutrition security among refugee and host communities.

In 2024, with the support from ECHO, BPRM, UNHCR, and WFP, GOAL reached over 127,000 refugees across seven camps and one settlement in Gambella, Afar, and Benishangul-Gumuz. This included comprehensive nutrition support for 82,207 vulnerable individuals, leveraging SAM management at Stabilization Centers, MAMI for at-risk infants, outpatient therapeutic feeding, targeted and blanket supplementary feeding (TSFP and BSFP), nutrition-sensitive gardening, and MIYCF-focused BCC activities. Since the Sudan crisis began in April 2023, GOAL has extended its response to over 58,000 Sudanese refugees, asylum seekers, and host community members in Benishangul-Gumuz and Amhara. Interventions are delivered in close coordination with government counterparts and aligned with Ethiopia’s national refugee response strategy, ensuring system strengthening, frontline capacity building, and long-term, scalable impact.