Habitat for Humanity Ethiopia

23/10/2025

Habitat for Humanity Ethiopia is honored to receive high level award from Addis Ababa City Administration for its remarkable contributions to efforts being made to support the communities in the city.

Habitat for Humanity Ethiopia is among the major non-governmental and governmental organizations and private companies who received the ‘Summer Volunteers Service Award’ at the presence of speaker of the Federal Parliament, Tagesse chafo, other senior government officials, religious leaders and community representatives.

Habitat for Humanity Ethiopia received the award in recognition of partnering with the government to construct new houses, communal sanitation facilities and kitchens for families in Akaki Sub City, district 03 of Addis Ababa. Empowering women to manage waste as income generating activity is also part of Habitat’s work in the sub city.

Speaking at the recognition event held on October 2025, Adanech Abiebie, Addis Ababa City Mayor stated that organizations and volunteers are honoured for their exceptional contributions with significant impact on the lives of individuals and communities.
https://habitatethiopia.org/?page_id=10167

20/10/2025

We are pleased to share that Emebet Zerfu, through support from Stand for Her Land Campaign, secured title deed for her house after 31 years of stiff struggle within local administrative bureaucracy.

Habitat for Humanity Ethiopia, in collaboration with Ethiopian Women Association, stages the campaign to empower women to secure their land and property rights. Emebet joined the campaign a year ago.

Initially, Emebet’s husband acquired a house from his father in the city of Bishoftu. The husband died before he secured title deed in his name. Soon after the passing of her husband, Emebet was told to leave the house claiming it belonged to other families, a precedence to get heir status. Recently, Emebet acquired legal document for homeownership.

“Now, I feel a real homeowner; I sleep well. I will focus on income generation activities with my full energy and courage,” Emebet said.
More on Emebet's journey to get title deed: https://habitatethiopia.org/?page_id=13795
Stand for Her Land

17/10/2025

Commemorating the International Day of Rural Women at the African Union
This week, Habitat for Humanity Ethiopia, through the Stand for Her Land (S4HL) project, hosted a commemoration of the International Day of Rural Women at the African Union. The event was marked under the theme: ‘Empowering Rural Women for Reparatory Justice: Advancing Inclusive and Sustainable Agri-Food Systems in Africa.’

In collaboration with our grassroots women and coalition members, we successfully advocated for women's land rights (WLR) and amplified the significance of the S4HL campaign's objectives and achievements.

During the event, the exhibition booth provided a platform for grassroots women from regions of Ethiopia to showcase their agricultural products and magnify they work. A dedicated breakout session focused on women's land rights in rural areas.

The S4HL project team shared the campaign’s objectives, achievement, lessons learned, and outlined key barriers to WLR in Ethiopia. The S4HL Project Manager moderated this session, providing a comprehensive overview of the WLR context in the country.

The event yielded critical learnings that will inform our future advocacy strategy:
✅ advocate for Secure Rights: intensify advocacy for securing women's land rights and controlling over natural resources.
Engage Traditional Leaders: work closely with traditional leaders to ensure equitable gender interpretation of WLR laws and policies.
✅ promote Governance and Accountability: advocate for inclusive governance and accountability mechanisms.
✅ integrate Reparatory Justice: integrate gender analysis into the reparatory justice system and monitor its implementation.
✅ strengthen Civil Society: strengthen the role of civil society organizations and enhance partnerships to amplify impact.
✅ address Climate Action: advocate for climate justice and ensure women's full engagement in decision-making processes.
✅ dismantle Barriers: address the systemic barriers rural women face in accessing land rights, education, and innovation.
Stand for Her Land Habitat for Humanity Africa

16/10/2025

For more than 20 years, Halima and her two daughters lived in a small shack made of corrugated iron-sheet at the outskirts of Dire Dawa City, Eastern Ethiopia. Situated near graveyard, Halima’s shack was one of the makeshifts reserved for people affected by various forms of vulnerabilities. After her husband died, she had to raise the children struggling with meagre income.

The shack did not protect them from heat during daytime as Dire Dawa is located in one of the hottest regions in Ethiopia. At night, Halima and her children had to face the cold weather that came through the tiny roof and wall. When it rained, water leaked through the broken roof and flooded their small room.

They led unsafe and uncomfortable life in a makeshift without water, toilet and kitchen. Halima used to cook food outside the shack by the roadside in unsanitary conditions. “As the house is narrow and too hot, I stay outside and cook food a few meters away from the road; the dust spoils everything,” Halima said.

Halima couldn’t believe when she was told to be a homeowner after partnering with Habitat for Humanity Ethiopia. In collaboration with Dire Dawa Administration and the community, Habitat Ethiopia constructed 28 houses for Halima and other family heads who lived in temporary shelters. The families transitioned to new houses in August 2025.

Now, Halima and her children have separate bedrooms, private kitchen and toilet in a house built from durable materials. They have space to move around and interact with neighbours. The new house serves not just as a shelter but ensures improved health, safety and comfort. Their transition to the new house heralds a new beginning that stems from partnering Habitat for Humanity.

“We started a new Life,” Halima said with a smiling face; “Now I am a homeowner. The heat and the dust have gone, and life looks so different. We finally have comfort and peace.”

06/10/2025

Habitat for Humanity Ethiopia through the Stand for Her Land (S4HL) project, recently organized a panel discussion on two major media outlets, Ethiopian Radio Afan Oromo Program and Ahadu Radio.

The panelists from the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Oromia Regional State Land Administration Bureau, Union of Ethiopian Women and Children Association, Sinqe Women Development Association, S4HL National Coalition and Community Transformation Ethiopia, covered range of issues related to women’s land and property rights.

The social norms that undermine women to access and use land and the legal aspects of women’s land rights were at centre of the panel discussion.

The panelists also examined strategies for advancing the implementation of the amended Rural Land Administration and Use Proclamation.

The panelists highlighted that although federal and regional land laws guarantee women equal rights to inherit and manage land, cultural practices and social norms continue to limit their privilege to exercise these rights.

Mitigation mechanisms identified by the panelists:
✅ raising awareness of women at grassroot level, empowering them to advocate for themselves and demand their right
✅ enhancing awareness of community leaders and influential individuals on WLR engage them at all levels
✅ working with legal and administrative structures at local, regional and national level
✅ enhancing the contributions of the national coalition and working with other stakeholders to strengthen the campaign.
Habitat for Humanity Africa Stand for Her Land Ethiopian Women Lawyers Association,

06/10/2025

We are excited to share that our volunteer Amenti has been selected as one of the five winners of Habitat for Humanity International’s Volunteer Social Media Contest for the month of September!

As part of this recognition, Amenti will receive a special Habitat-branded backpack made from recycled plastics, and his story will be spotlighted across HFHI’s socials.

Let’s all congratulate Amenti.

24/09/2025

Habitat for Humanity Ethiopia (HFHE), in partnership with UN-Habitat, officially launched on September 22, 2025 a new project to construct houses for 108 families in Mi’eso locality, Oromia and Somali Regional States.

The launch event brought together representatives from UN-Habitat, Habitat for Humanity Ethiopia, Mieso City Administration, government offices, community and future homeowners.

The project titled ‘Strengthening Resilience of Disaster-Affected Communities Through Durable Solutions in Oromia and Somali Regions of Ethiopia’ aims to strengthen resilience for 100 households (600 people-340 female and 260 male) affected by conflict. The project will bring about sustainable solutions, focusing on providing access to durable housing, land and property rights.

As part of UN Habitat country-wide initiative and Habitat for Humanity Ethiopia’s strategic commitment to address housing issues, the project will also create access to 108 improved kitchens fitted with energy-efficient stoves. The project focuses on empowering communities who have been forced to flee their homes due to conflict and restore dignity and resilience for families.

“Today we stand together with our brothers and sisters who have lost so much. We will work hand in hand through a journey towards stability,” said Abel Estifanos, UN-Habitat representative.

Mayor of Mieso City Administration, Kemila Shafi stated that working together through such significant partnership is the best opportunity to support the community.

A future homeowner, Momina Wariyo, shared her excitement: "We were forced to leave our homes because of conflict. I never thought I would have a real house again. I am so eager to see my new home, and I thank everyone who made this possible."
UN-HABITAT Ethiopian Red Cross Society Habitat for Humanity Africa

16/09/2025

Habitat for Humanity team participated recently in the Africa Climate Summit II (ACS2) convened in Addis Ababa alongside leaders, policymakers, and civil society. The event, held under the theme ‘Driving Green Growth and Climate Finance Solutions for Africa and the World’ was hosted by the Government of Ethiopia in collaboration with the African Union.

The Summit brought together heads of states and governments including Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Dr. Abiy Ahmed, the private sector, and non-state actors, civil society representatives, farmers, youth, and academics to advance Africa-led solutions to the climate crisis.

At ACS2, Habitat for Humanity Ethiopia’s Stand for Her Land (S4HL) Project team hosted a panel themed ‘Resilience Through Equity: Gender Responsive Climate Adaptation’ to elevate grassroots women’s voices and strengthen African women-led organizations’ role in climate action and financing.

S4HL Project Manager, Nardos Eshetu, highlighted that secure land rights for women are not just a matter of justice but a cornerstone for climate adaptation and resilience, empowering women to invest in climate-smart agriculture, protect communities, and shape decision-making. Through S4H Campaign, Habitat for Humanity works to ensure that women’s land rights are central to building inclusive, equitable, and climate-resilient communities across Africa.

Habitat for Humanity team from Africa Area Office contributed to the submit along with colleagues from Malawi, Uganda, and Kenya. They actively advocated that climate crisis is also a housing crisis.

With Africa’s cities projected to host over 60% of residents in informal settlements by 2050, the team stressed that safe and affordable housing must be recognized as critical climate infrastructure to ensure resilient, sustainable urban development.

Through initiatives like the HomeEquals Campaign, Habitat for Humanity continues to promote inclusive housing solutions that strengthen resilience, reduce vulnerability, and unlock sustainable urban growth.

Through its advocacy at ACS2 and ongoing campaigns, Habitat for Humanity reaffirmed its commitment to advancing climate-resilient housing, secure land rights for women, and stronger community voices at the heart of Africa’s climate agenda. Habitat for Humanity Africa

10/09/2025

08/09/2025

Last week was an exciting moment for members of our Youth Volunteer Network at Habitat for Humanity Ethiopia (HFHE).

Our youth volunteers took part in the African Youth Climate Assembly (AYCA)- the official youth pre-event to the African Climate Summit 2- organized by our partner Pan African Climate Justice Alliance and other stakeholders. They joined passionate young climate advocates from across the continent to advance the call for climate justice.

During the assembly, they engaged with peers from different African countries, contributed to shaping the African Youth Declaration, and strengthened their commitment to climate action.

One of the key outcomes of AYCA is the Youth Declaration, which will be presented to leaders at the African Climate Summit 2 this week. The declaration calls for:
✅ Investing in youth skills and green jobs
✅ Supporting youth-driven innovations in housing and infrastructure
✅ Expanding youth participation in sustainable cities initiatives, including contributions to housing solutions

Habitat for Humanity Africa

03/09/2025

This week, Habitat for Humanity Ethiopia organized a workshop on Housing Disaster Resilience and Recovery (HDRR) to explore critical issues related to humanitarian context in Ethiopian.

Through the workshop we brought together representatives from the Ethiopia Shelter Cluster, UN-Habitat, Ethiopian Red Cross Society and Habitat for Humanity Malawi to discuss humanitarian principles, the impacts of conflict and disasters on shelter and practical experiences in HDRR.

Habitat for Humanity International (HFHI) HDRR field Operations Director Mario Flores and Field Operations Officer Javier Cidón emphasized Habitat for Humanity’s role in humanitarian work, Global HDRR Strategy and pathways to permanence. They also noted that collaborative work in HDRR help save lives and build resilience for affected communities.

Yitna Tekaligne, Habitat for Humanity Ethiopia’s National Director and Representative to the African Union highlighted the importance of strengthening disaster preparedness and resilience capacity in light of the country’s growing risks associated to conflict and exposure to natural disasters.

The workshop served as a platform for dialogue, learning, and collaboration emphasizing the need for integrating HDRR into Habitat for Humanity Ethiopia’s program.

Key areas of focus at the workshop:
✅ Ethiopia’s humanitarian context: disasters & conflict
✅ Humanitarian principles and Habitat’s role in HDRR
✅ Housing programming: pathways, interventions & field experiences
✅ Disaster recovery and resilience approaches (incl. PASSA)
✅ Networking, coordination, and partnership building
✅ Advocacy in HDRR (land tenure, resilience, rights)
✅ Communication and visibility as a crosscutting theme

28/08/2025

Habitat for Humanity Ethiopia, through the Stand for Her Land (S4HL) campaign, organized a media roundtable workshop to discuss the revised Federal and Oromia Rural Land Administration and Land Use Proclamations. The key focus of the workshop was to raise awareness of media professionals on Women’s Land Rights (WLR) and strengthen the role of media in shaping public dialogue and policy action.

The importance of collaboration with media in advancing land and housing rights was highlighted at the workshop. The S4HL advocacy specialist Eden Asrat introduced the purpose of S4HL campaign and its efforts to help secure land rights for women in Ethiopia. She also highlighted the critical role of media in raising public awareness, advocating for policy change, and amplifying the voices of women on land rights issues.

Legal professionals from the National Women’s Land Rights Task Force and the Oromia Land Administration Bureau presented the revised articles of both proclamations, outlining their legal and social implications.

The workshop brought together professionals from mainstream media, including Ethiopia Television (EBC), Ahadu TV & Radio, Abay TV, Oromia Broadcast Corporation, Fana TV (FBC), Ethiopian Broadcast Service (EBS), Sheger FM Radio and Addis TV. Journalists from Ethiopian News Agency, The Reporter, Fortune, Capital, Addis Zemen, The Ethiopian Herald, and Addis Media Network shared their views on how to collaborate effectively to raise awareness on women’s land rights.

Key recommendations at the workshop include:
✅ Mainstreaming WLR and gender equality into editorial policies
✅ Conducting consistent programs on the importance of WLR and legal framework
✅ Organizing panel discussions to enhance legal literacy through media
✅ Emphasizing the crucial role of media in informing the public, shaping perceptions
Stand for Her Land Ethiopian Women Lawyers Association Habitat for Humanity Africa Ethiopian Human Rights Council