News and Events

Mehira Gebru

Mehira’s Story: Life without Access to Clean Water   Mehira Gebru, 28 years old, shares…

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Birhan Berhe

Empowering Dreams: Providing Access to Clean Water Birhan’s Testimonial “After 5 months of failure, I…

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Kiros Girmay

Restoring Clean Water Access in Tigray: A Story of Resilience WASH Emergency – Scheme Maintenance…

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A Legacy of Response and Resilience

REST has stepped up to provide essential aid and support during Ethiopia’s most challenging times, establishing refugee camps and delivering vital assistance to those affected by famine and conflict in the Tigray region.

Leading Regional Rehabilitation

Relief During Crises

REST remained unwavering in its commitment to providing relief during droughts and crop failures.

Aligning with Strategies

REST’s efforts aligned with national and regional disaster preparedness strategies.

Rehabilitation and Development

With the end of the civil war, REST shifted focus to lead in the rehabilitation and development of the Tigray Region.

Shifting Towards Rehabilitation and Development

  • 1. Relief Efforts

    REST maintained its commitment to providing relief during droughts and crop failures.

  • 2. Rehabilitation

    As refugees returned home, REST transitioned towards rehabilitation and long-term development.

  • 3. Sustainable Livelihoods

    REST emphasized fostering rural economic growth and sustainable livelihoods.

Modern approach & sustainable results

est.

1978

A decades of expertise

Founded in 1978, the Relief Society of Tigray (REST) boasts a rich history deeply woven into the fabric of the Tigray Region. Established during a period of immense challenge, REST emerged as a beacon of hope, dedicated to alleviating the suffering of Tigray’s people.

The year 1978 marks not just a starting point, but a testament to the unwavering spirit of the Tigrayan people. It signifies the birth of an organization built on resilience, solidarity, and a deep commitment to community development. As REST embarks on its next chapter, this legacy continues to serve as a guiding force, inspiring us to build a brighter future for generations to come.

1,000

+

Completed projects

Reaching a milestone of 1,000 completed projects is a defining moment for the Relief Society of Tigray (REST). This number isn’t just a statistic; it represents a decade upon decade of unwavering commitment to empowering communities and fostering sustainable development in Tigray, Ethiopia.

As we move forward, the spirit of innovation and unwavering commitment enshrined in these 1,000 projects will continue to guide our path. We invite you to join us on this ongoing journey of transformation, where every project completed brings us closer to a brighter future for Tigray.

3,000,000

+

Total Impacted beneficiaries

A Commitment to Service: The 3Million Mark

The number 3,000,000 holds profound significance for REST. It represents the remarkable milestone of over two million individuals whose lives have been demonstrably impacted by our work. This encompasses a diverse range of beneficiaries, from families receiving vital food security interventions to children gaining access to education and healthcare. Each number reflects a story of resilience, hope, and a community empowered to reach its full potential.

A Legacy of Impact

Food and Nutrition Security

REST has played a significant role in improving food and nutrition security in the region.

Household Livelihoods

REST’s efforts have fostered sustainable household livelihoods.

Regional Productivity

REST’s work has increased regional productivity and economic growth.

Ongoing Humanitarian Response

REST continues its multi-sectoral emergency humanitarian response and recovery efforts.

Our works

Humanitarian Response

Since its establishment in 1978, REST has provided multi-sectoral, needs-based humanitarian responses. The organization maintains a strong capacity to provide food distribution, emergency WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) response,
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Recovery and Rehabilitation

While addressing humanitarian needs, REST also believes in a nested and continuum approach to guide its recovery and rehabilitation interventions. REST provides needs-based multisectoral recovery and
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Community based development

Over the past four decades, REST has been promoting an integrated community development program whereby it applies a participatory project/program design approach to promote poverty reduction and food
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Empowering local communities to build a better future!

Current Situation of Tigray

Food Insecurity

Millions of people in Tigray face hunger. Estimates from mid-2021 suggested hundreds of thousands were in “catastrophic” food insecurity, with millions more facing lesser but still serious food shortages. This situation is likely to have worsened since then.

Limited Aid Access

Delivering humanitarian aid has been a major challenge. The Ethiopian government has restricted access at times, and insecurity from armed groups also disrupts aid deliveries. This means many people in need are not getting the help they require.

Healthcare Crisis

The healthcare system in Tigray is shattered. Hospitals have been damaged or destroyed, and medical supplies are scarce. This makes it difficult to treat people who are sick or injured, including those with unrelated illnesses like Covid-19.

Displaced People

Millions of people have been displaced from their homes due to the fighting. Many are living in crowded camps with limited access to basic necessities.

Who we are

REST is registered as non-governmental organization under Ethiopian law since July 31, 1991!!

At REST, our governance structure underscores our commitment to excellence, transparency, and impact in all our endeavors. Our governance structure ensures transparency, inclusivity, and effectiveness.

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Target Population

At REST, we focus on reaching all conflict-affected communities within our capacity and available resources. We prioritize providing support to internally displaced people (IDPs) and survivors of gender-based violence, recognizing their heightened vulnerabilities.

In addition, we tailor our approaches and activities to assist specific vulnerable groups, including disabled individuals, female-headed households, the elderly, and youth. Our selection criteria ensure that we address the unique needs of each group, aiming to provide targeted assistance and support where it is most needed.

FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

REST’s mission is to promote self-reliant and sustainable development, focusing on supporting smallholder agricultural households and communities.

REST prioritizes serving and advocating for people, especially marginalized groups. We believe in equality, inclusion, participation, accountability, transparency, promoting resilience, and self-reliance.

REST works in humanitarian response, recovery/rehabilitation, and community-based development.

  • REST provides food distribution, emergency WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) services, emergency nutrition support, protection services, and non-food items (NFI) to those affected by conflict or crises.

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