Twenty million people in Yemen, South Sudan, Somalia, and northeastern Nigeria have been grappling with a serious food crisis since 2016. Several East African countries have been hit by drought in recent months, including Somalia, Kenya, Ethiopia, Djibouti, Uganda, South Sudan and, to a lesser extent, Tanzania. In some countries, conflicts have caused severe food shortages. Handicap International is preparing to deal with one of the worst humanitarian crises since the Second World War.

Humanity & Inclusion is committed to supporting people who are fleeing conflict and natural disaster. Whether they are sheltering within their own countries or residing in countries of first asylum as refugees, our teams are hard at work providing basic and specific aid to people with disabilities and other vulnerable groups. Read about our work with refugees and internally displaced people (IDPs) as well as our other projects in the 11 countries below.

This life-saving work is possible thanks to the generous support of our donors, as well as key funding agencies such as the U.S. Department of State, IKEA Foundation, among others.

Humanity & Inclusion is an impartial, international aid organization, and we act where needs are greatest. We do not work on refugee resettlement.  

I recently had the opportunity to interview Julia McGeown, HI’s technical advisor for inclusive education. Julia helps oversee the organization’s efforts to promote the inclusion of children with disabilities in mainstream schools in 25 countries. These programs are close to my heart, not only because I visited HI’s program in Ethiopia in 2013, but also because I also benefitted from being included in public schools in the U.S.

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Twins Tiyan and Zahara Bushra grew up doing everything together—playing, going to school, and helping their mother with her sewing business. However, at age seven, the parallel trajectory of their lives suddenly, irrevocably came to a halt.

Tigray Crisis

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Humanity & Inclusion in Ethiopia 

Humanity & Inclusion has been working in Ethiopia since 1986, with a mission to improve access to humanitarian services for people with disabilities, ensure children with disabilities can go to school and adults with disabilities are able to work, and that they are included in their communities. 

Ethiopia has nearly 115 million inhabitants and sees a constant influx of refugees whose essential needs are barely met. The country hosts people displaced by cross-border movements due to drought, conflict, political upheaval and civil wars in neighboring countries including Eritrea, Somalia, Sudan and South Sudan. There are also large numbers of internally displaced persons, forced to move due to drought and conflict.  

Ethiopia has long been considered as a stable country, but a conflict between Tigrayan forces and the central government has been ongoing since 2020. Previously, two decades of deadly conflict in the southeastern region of Ogaden had a severe impact on the Ethiopian ethnic Somali population. Ethiopia periodically faces terrible droughts, leading to increased needs for humanitarian aid. 

Over the last 15 years, Ethiopia has undergone significant economic and social changes and has recorded some of the highest growth rates in the world. However, health services are limited, notably those dedicated to people with disabilities. Ethiopia is also one of the Sub-Saharan African countries the worst affected by the HIV/AIDS epidemic. 

Areas of intervention

• Rehabilitation
• Health and prevention
• Mental health and psychosocial support
• Maternal and infant health
• Inclusive education
• Economic inclusion
• Social inclusion
• Protection and risk reduction

Humanity & Inclusion's 92 staff members in Ethiopia are currently working to improve living conditions of people with disabilities and to ensure inclusion of refugees and internally displaced families. For example, the organization provides stimulation physical therapy for young children facing malnourishment in refugee camps, to help their growth and reduce the risk of developmental delay.

Staff also provides protection assistance and community-level support, including psychosocial services, to refugees, conflict-affected communities, people with specific needs and children. In the Tigray region, Humanity & Inclusion provides risk education activities and support to victims of armed violence.  

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Our Past Work

Humanity & Inclusion has been in Ethiopia since 1986, fostering an inclusive culture for ALL people with disabilities and who are living in situations of extreme circumstances. Over time, we have evolved our work to meet the dynamic needs of the communities where we serve. 

Read on to learn more about our past work in Ethiopia and consider investing in our future.

HIV & Disability

Humanity & Inclusion implemented a pilot project in Addis Ababa that ensures that people with disabilities across Ethiopia have access to HIV information and services tailored to their diverse needs and equal to the services available to others in the community.

Rehabilitation

Humanity & Inclusion's early work in Ethiopia revolved around providing rehabilitation services for refugees in the Somali region, leading to rehabilitation units in 11 hospitals from 1996 to 2000.

Mine action

In 1997, teams launched a mine risk education project to support Somali refugees living in Ethiopia.

Climate change

Humanity & Inclusion started the REAAP Project (Resilience through Enhanced Adaptation, Action-learning and Partnership) to sustainably increase the resilience of rural communities to current and future climate change and natural disasters and ensure that the needs of people with disabilities are taken into account. The project raised awareness about the inclusion of people with disabilities in climate change actions, trained people with disabilities on how to response during a natural disaster, and distributed mobility aids to people who needed them.

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World's first armless pilot visits our Ethiopian inclusive education projects.

Takoma Park, Maryland — Handicap International will host Jessica Cox—the first person without arms to obtain a pilot’s license—in Ethiopia in April 2013. Thirty-year-old Cox, who was born without arms, will visit the charity’s inclusive education project to speak with children with disabilities and their peers about how to “think outside the shoe.” Her visit will be filmed as part of the documentary RIGHTFOOTED, which tells the story of Cox’s life and her desire to redefine what it means to be disabled.

The visit will reinforce Handicap International’s on-going efforts to foster the inclusion of children with disabilities in Ethiopian schools, and to help change long-held societal beliefs about the role of people with disabilities. Handicap International runs inclusive education projects for children with disabilities in 20 countries, with a long-term goal to see the children included socially and economically.

Cox has achieved more using just her feet than most other people dare to aspire to. She achieved a black belt in Taekwondo when she was 14, and earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Arizona by typing papers with her toes. She always dreamed of becoming a pilot, and in 2008, after years of persistent effort, she achieved this goal by soloing a single engine 1946 415C Ercoupe Airplane. Cox loves adventure sports—rock climbing and snowboarding to name a few—and she just made her first sky dive in January. Cox is named in the Guinness World Record for being the first woman to fly an airplane with her feet.

Such achievements have allowed her to fulfill another dream: to become a motivational speaker, mentor, and advocate for the "alternately abled". In the past four years she has traveled the world from Europe to Australia and Africa, sharing her inspirational story. She has spoken at the World Economic Forum and the Pentagon, met Pope Benedict XVI and President Obama, and appeared on The Ellen Show and CNN.

During her speaking engagements and in her personal time, Cox counsels individuals with disabilities and their families, emphasizing the importance of persistence and dreaming big. “There are two words I’ve eliminated from my vocabulary,” Cox says. “’I can’t.’ Because once you say those words, you’ve already failed.” She also emphasizes the importance of opportunity for persons with disability.

Cox’s message is especially important in low-income and post-conflict countries, where people with disabilities are often shunned and denied the same opportunities available to others in their communities. According to UNESCO, 98 percent of children with disabilities living in low-income countries do not attend school.

“In Ethiopia, only one percent of children with disabilities are educated,” says Matteo Caprotti, Handicap International’s country director for Ethiopia. “Most parents of children with disabilities do not think they can benefit from going to school.”
Jessica Cox says, “I am extremely excited for the opportunity to work with Handicap International in furthering their goals in Ethiopia. My accomplishments are just as much a story of opportunity as they are about possibility. I hope that sharing my story will help Ethiopians realize that children with disabilities should be given the same opportunities that children without disabilities are given.”

Handicap International’s inclusive education project at six primary schools in Ethiopia is developing a model of “disability-friendly schools” that foster the inclusion of children with disabilities. This important work, which is done in collaboration with local disabled people’s organizations, regional education bureaus, and USAID, impacts hundreds of children, including about 40 who are living with disabilities.

While in Ethiopia, Cox will work directly with children, their families, teachers, members of disabled people organizations and Handicap International staff. In an effort to reach a wider audience, she also hopes to meet with government officials and to speak on local television and radio programs about her life and accomplishments. The goal is to change attitudes about what’s possible, and to inspire change.

Jessica Cox is available for interviews from February 11-16, and after Feb. 16 by Skype or email. To coordinate please contact Nick Spark.

About Handicap International
Co-winner of the 1997 Nobel Peace Prize, Handicap International is an independent international aid organization. It has been working in situations of poverty and exclusion, conflict and disaster for 30 years. Working alongside persons with disabilities and other vulnerable groups, our actions and testimony focus on responding to their essential needs, improving their living conditions, and promoting respect for their dignity and basic rights. Since 1982, Handicap International has set up development programs in more than 60 countries and intervenes in numerous emergency situations. The network of eight national associations (Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States) works constantly to mobilize resources, jointly manage projects and to increase the impact of the organization's principles and actions. Handicap International is one of six founding organizations of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines, and winner of the 2011 Hilton Humanitarian Prize. Handicap International takes action and campaigns in places where “standing tall” is no easy task.

About RIGHTFOOTED
RIGHTFOOTED tells the story of one woman’s courage, determination, love and faith. The documentary will chronicle the life of Jessica Cox—a woman packed with resilience and hope. Her story will touch anyone who feels different, limited or who has a disability, and show them how to look beyond their limitations, as Jessica has. Acclaimed documentary filmmaker and writer, Nick Spark, is producer and director of RIGHTFOOTED. Spark’s most recent film is the Emmy award winning The Legend of Pancho Barnes, which profiles famed female pilot Florence “Pancho” Barnes. Spark has directed and produced numerous documentary and industrial projects. The documentary is scheduled for release early next year. RIGHTFOOTED is currently raising funds to support Cox’s trip to Ethiopia. Learn more about the movie at Jessica’s website, www.Rightfooted.com

Contacts
Mica Bevington, Director of Communications and Marketing
Handicap International US
+1 (240) 450-3531
[email protected]

Molly Feltner, Communications and Marketing Officer
Handicap International US
+1 (240) 450-3528
[email protected]