IHS reached children of different ages in Tigray and Amhara regions with appropriate indoor and outdoor play areas, learning and recreational activities in child-friendly spaces. Among the available services provided in these spaces were football, volleyball, foosball, and rope skipping.
IHS Projects:
Child Protection and
WASH Facilities for Refugees.
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Child Protection Programs
Since its operation began, IHS Ethiopia has been working for those affected by conflict and disaster. Among its primary beneficiaries are internally displaced children. These children are exposed to different protection risks such as family separation, abuses, violence and exploitation. They are also exposed to lack of food, shelter, health, psychosocial support and other play, learning and recreational materials which affect the physical and psychological wellbeing of children.
In trying to alleviate these and reduce their risk of exposure, IHS has been implementing a number of child protection activities.
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As part of its child protection program, IHS regularly assesses what is in the best interests of children who are left unattended and separated from their caregivers. It communicates with its implementing partners and/or makes use of foster care arrangements for further solutions.
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Child Friendly Spaces and Psychosocial Support to Internally Displaced Children
Drawing exercises, literacy sessions, storytelling, puzzle play, life skill sessions, music play, dominos, and other traditional games were provided as well.
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The establishment of child-friendly spaces played a major role in engaging children in the play recreational and learning activities. Children who used to spend their time in child-unfriendly spaces while out of school and those engaged in street begging were all spending their days in the CFS. Such spaces have also increased the socializing skills of the children.
WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) Facilities for Refugees
IHS WASH operation began in 2018 in Endabaguna, Tigray region. Since then, IHS has been involved in the provision and construction of water sanitation and hygiene facilities.
Recently, IHS installed water tanks, water points, and pipe lines connected to Dabat City Primary Hospital with the Town water supply system. Refugees located in these areas were able to get access to water.
Additionally, IHS was engaged in the construction of WASH facilities at the Alemach Refugee Reception Site in Debat, Gondar. Tank installation, washing stations, water points, and electromechanical work were all part of the construction.
Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) Trainings
There is a global concern over the performance of sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA) by aid workers towards beneficiaries. The need for reinforced action to protect beneficiaries of humanitarian assistance from sexual exploitation and abuse (PSEA) arose from reports confirming that humanitarian workers had been responsible for acts of sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA).
PSEA policies and practices aim to end sexual exploitation and sexual abuse by humanitarian workers. Recipients of humanitarian aid and aid workers-both need to know how to contact the proper complaints procedure in the event that SEA arises, particularly in a scenario with numerous organizations providing humanitarian help.
In light of this, IHS has given priority to efforts to prevent and respond to these abuses. In 2022, it offered training on the PSEA’s main ideas, the Inter-Agency Standing Committee’s (IASC) Six Core Principles of PSEA, and the IHS staff members’ manual on human resources and guiding principles.
Among the participants of the training, twelve humanitarian workers were from Asayita Area Office (out of which five were females), six were from Serdo Area Office (which included two females) , five were from Semera Regional Office (three females) and one male was from Serdo Area Office. Out of the total participants, 47% were female staff members.
Awareness Raising for IDPs
IHS also conducted awareness raising sessions and reached IDPs in Amhara region through community outreach awareness raising activities. The topics of discussions were; how to prevent themselves from explosives/mines, child rights, keeping environmental and personal hygiene. Foster care recruitment campaigns were held as well.
Capacity Building for Social Workers
IHS provided trainings to frontline social workers and partner staff on basic concepts of emergency child protection, alternative care arrangement, psychological First Aid, case management, protection monitoring, reporting tools and rapid protection assessments tools.
