CARE in Eritrea

CARE began working in Eritrea when the war with Ethiopia ended in 2000.

In Eritrea we:

provide emergency support for livestock, such as water and feed
fight HIV and AIDS
raise awareness about the dangers of landmines
prevent violence against women, especially female genital mutilation, by raising awareness about women’s rights to a life free of violence

War with Ethiopia and widespread drought in the last few years has left a large proportion of the population impoverished and without sustainable access to food. A third of Eritrea’s population, more than one million people, were uprooted by the conflict and many remain in camps.

CARE Eritrea runs long-term development projects in partnership with community-based organisations and government ministries.

While many humanitarian organisations have struggled to gain access in Eritrea, CARE has forged good relationships in the country and is well placed to deliver appropriate relief to communities in need. We are able to work in the vulnerable areas close to the border with Ethiopia.

CARE in action:

Earning a decent living
Eritrea is prone to drought and there are limited opportunities for poor rural communities to earn a living. We are helping poor people, especially women, in Eritrea to earn a living by establishing community-run savings and loans associations. These enable families to take out loans to make small investments which will increase their future income. We are also giving poor rural families seeds and small farm animals, as well providing technical assistance and teaching them new farming techniques.

Landmines
Although the war with Ethiopia ended in 2000, many people are still killed by the many landmines that litter Eritrean soil. We work to reduce injuries and deaths from mines and other unexploded devices by raising awareness among local communities about the dangers of landmines.