Increasing Access to Basic Services in Tigray

Media Release | 15 June 2023

Since November 2020, the conflict has damaged or destroyed water sources, depriving many people of access to clean water. Educational facilities have also suffered significant damage, with schools, furniture, textbooks and laboratory equipment destroyed – forcing many children out of school. And fragile and deteriorating health services have increased the vulnerability of communities.

On behalf of the government of Ethiopia, UNOPS is implementing a project aimed at rebuilding and improving access to basic services and climate-resilient community infrastructure, as part of the larger World Bank-funded 'Response Recovery Resilience for Conflict-Affected Communities in Ethiopia' project.

UNOPS is working with local neighbourhood relations committees to rehabilitate and improve access to social services such as water, sanitation, health and education, to support 600,000 people in 5 woredas affected by conflict.

"This project will help support the resumption of essential social services in selected conflict-affected woredas [districts] in Tigray," Worknesh Mekonnen, the Director of UNOPS Multi-Country Office in Ethiopia, said.

The committees – which comprise a broad mix of people from each community, including women and older people – help ensure each community's needs are highlighted and reflected in the implementation of the project.

Since the launch of the project, 12 primary schools and 12 health centres have been rehabilitated. Stipends have also been paid to more than 400 healthcare workers, enabling health centers to open and provide services to the community. In addition, more than 400 teachers have also received stipends, enabling more than 10,000 girls and boys to return to school.

In addition, damaged water and sanitation infrastructure such as pipes and reservoirs are being rehabilitated. Water points, additional pipes and solar power infrastructure will also be constructed.