Roots Ethiopia works within the Central Ethiopia Regional State and the Wolayta Zone of the Southern Ethiopia Regional State.
We work…
In areas that lack quality school options.
In rural areas, nearby school options for all students are limited. The most affordable schools are often overcrowded and are without basic materials or support.
In areas with unreliable access to schooling.
Where schools are available, the barriers to attendance often prove insurmountable for families. Many rural students struggle to afford the tuition, clothing, and materials needed for success in school – especially girls.
In areas with a vulnerable economy.
Most families live on 50 cents per day. They depend on subsistence farming; however, scarcity of farmland means more than half of young people are unemployed.
About the Central Ethiopia & Southern Ethiopia Regional States
- Two of Ethiopia’s most rural regions.
- 1 in 3 people live in poverty.
- Some lowland areas do not have enough land to meet food production needs.
- Female-headed households have even less access to land.
- Reliance on subsistence farming leaves many families vulnerable to drought.
- Limited access to credit stifles business and investment.
- Poverty rates increase by 7% for every 10 km from a market town.
- Road density is still one of the lowest in Africa, making travel difficult.
- Low rates of primary school completion prevent strengthening livelihoods.
