Ethiopia

Etiopia

Water is changing lives in southern Ethiopia

Ethiopia, like many other countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, faces the severe impacts of climate change, contributing, for example, to sudden natural disasters such as flash floods and landslides. Caritas Czech Republic is helping people in southern Ethiopia gain access to water while strengthening their climate resilience. We have also supported women by involving them in economic and community activities. At the same time, we are working to improve local hygiene and sanitation conditions. 

Why is help in Ethiopia still needed?

For many families, water scarcity is a daily reality. People spend hours searching for a safe water source, children often miss school because of it, and health problems caused by contaminated water threaten entire communities. Access to safe drinking water, hygiene, and healthcare is therefore essential for improving people's quality of life and strengthening the long-term resilience of local communities.

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How Caritas Czech Republic helps

Access to water

Access to water

In cooperation with the local Caritas and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic, we secured a safe, reliable water source for village communities in southern Ethiopia. As a result, local people no longer have to spend long hours fetching water elsewhere and can be confident that clean water will not endanger their health. The maintenance of the water supply system was also entrusted to local committees made up of both women and men.

Support for healthcare

Support for healthcare

In cooperation with local partners, we contributed to strengthening healthcare services in southern Ethiopia – from equipping health facilities to training local healthcare staff. We succeeded in reducing the incidence of waterborne diseases, easing the burden on overstretched health centres, and shifting healthcare from responding to acute emergencies toward longterm prevention and improved health and resilience of the entire community. 

Articles

Caritas Czech Republic helps manage the impacts of climate change in Ethiopia, Jan Líska and Barbora Ludvíková share in a joint interview
December 8, 2025 News

Caritas Czech Republic helps manage the impacts of climate change in Ethiopia, Jan Líska and Barbora Ludvíková share in a joint interview

Ethiopia spans across the so-called „Horn of Africa“, which is the easternmost point of the continent, cut off by the Arabian Sea into the shape of a rhino’s horn. According to Jan Líska, the Institutional Funding Coordinator of Caritas Czech Republic, Ethiopia has been placed on the list of priority developing countries that the Czech Republic supports in its Development Cooperation Strategy. In a joint interview, Barbora Ludvíková, Senior Humanitarian and Development Advisor, adds that Ethiopia was not included on this list by accident. “Czechoslovakia collaborated with Ethiopia already in the past. Ethiopian students studied in Czechoslovakia, and Czechoslovakia imported technologies to Ethiopia. We established several breweries and a tannery there,” Barbora explains.

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Drought, polluted water, failed crops. For many of the communities that we support, the effects of climate change are part of everyday life. That is why our humanitarian and development work increasingly focuses on protecting the environment and building climate resilience. We provide training for farmers, improve access to water, support innovative solutions, and deliver aid that does not burden nature. Here is what that looks like in practice.

Water is life. Yet billions lack access to it
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Water is life. Yet billions lack access to it

Water is the foundation of life. We need it to survive, stay healthy, grow food, and support economies. Yet, billions face water scarcity due to climate change, population growth, and poor resource management. In many regions, prolonged droughts and desertification are forcing people to leave their homes in search of water. Caritas Czech Republic is working to provide sustainable solutions, helping communities secure reliable access to this vital resource.