Tzu Chi and Kidmia provide meals for IDP Children in Ethiopian refugee camps

In partnership with Kidmia Association, the Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation (BTCF) provides ongoing support to 1,350 vulnerable children in refugee camps in Debre Birhan. Under this initiative, the children, who have escaped the ongoing conflict in the Oromia Region, will receive nutritious meals over the next three months.

Over the last few years, more than three million people have been internally displaced in Ethiopia as a direct result of conflict that erupted in 2020, according to a 2024 report of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). Among several refugee camps, over 25,000 people have settled in Debre Birhan in Central Ethiopia, including children who have lost one or both parents or face various physical and mental challenges, making them in special need of support.

Debre Birhan is located in Amhara, one of the regions along with Tigray and Oromia that are caught in the country’s long-running conflict. The current project leverage established feeding programs in refugee camps to provide consistent support to at least 1,350 Orphaned and Vulnerable Children under 8 years of age residing in the camps.

Since the first delivery of food under the current project in July 2024, each child has received one main meal and one smaller meal per day, including curry with vegetarian high-protein meat substitute and bread. Payments have also been arranged to ensure that firewood is continuously supplied, maintaining a steady source of energy for both cooking and heating. The consistent nutritional support not only helps meet their daily dietary needs but also plays a crucial role in their overall well-being and development. The current stage of the project will continue through May 2025.

BTCF has a long history of assistance to Ethiopia, starting with a three-year project between 1993 and 1996, setting up medical clinics and training local nurses in partnership with the international NGO Médecins du Monde, which was followed up with additional projects in 1998-2002. BTCF returned in 2022 with support to internally displaced persons (IDPs) escaping from civil unrest, and has been providing assistance continuously since then.

The Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation is a global non-profit humanitarian organization founded in 1966 by Buddhist nun Dharma Master Cheng Yen. Its missions of medicine, charity, education, and humanistic culture have brought relief to 136 countries. The heart of Tzu Chi is embedded in its name: in Chinese, “Tzu” means compassion and “Chi” relief, to relieve the suffering of those in need while creating a better world for all through compassion, love and hope. For more information, visit global.tzuchi.org. For additional information and media inquiries, welcome to contact us through this form.