68 Houses Handed Over to Landslide Victims in Southern Ethiopia
The Ethiopian Red Cross Society (ERCS), in collaboration with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), has handed over 68 newly constructed houses to landslide-affected families in Abala Koisha Kebele, Abala Abaya Woreda, Southern Ethiopia.
Regional, zonal, and woreda government officials, humanitarian partners, stakeholders, and local community members attended the handover ceremony.
Speaking at the ceremony, Ato Amanuel Ayza, Head of the ERCS Southern Ethiopia Regional Branch, recalled that landslides triggered by heavy rains in August and September 2024 claimed the lives of 14 people and displaced around 800 households in Kinedo Koisha and Kinedo Didaye woredas. He said ERCS promptly responded by providing food and non-food assistance to affected communities and subsequently constructed 68 houses to support their recovery and resettlement.
He added that ERCS has also constructed a 4.8-kilometre water pipeline and a water tank, while providing food and non-food assistance as well as more than ETB 15 million in cash support. Agricultural inputs, including locally appropriate seeds and fertilizers, have also been distributed to help affected households restore their livelihoods and strengthen food security.
Ato Mohammed Dada, Director of the ERCS Disaster Preparedness and Response Department, emphasized the importance of government and community support in sustaining humanitarian operations. He called on government institutions at all levels and the community to continue supporting ERCS and urged the beneficiaries to actively participate in environmental protection and green development initiatives to reduce the area’s vulnerability to future disasters.
Assistant Professor Samuel Tessema, Chief Administrator of Wolaita Zone, expressed appreciation for ERCS’s humanitarian support to landslide-affected communities and said the zonal administration would continue working to provide the necessary infrastructure and improve living conditions in the area.
Ato Ngatu Dansa, Chairperson of the ERCS Southern Ethiopia Regional Branch Board, highlighted ERCS’s continued humanitarian and development efforts in the region, carried out impartially and without discrimination. He reaffirmed the branch’s commitment to strengthening community engagement and said support would continue until the beneficiaries are able to rebuild and strengthen their livelihoods.
The ceremony also included a recognition event for those who contributed to the intervention’s successful implementation, followed by the official handover of the houses to the beneficiaries.
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