Seeking Humanitarian Partners for Emergency Shelter, WASH and IDP Response in Debre Birhan and South Wollo, Ethiopia

                    Concept of the Potential Partnership

Title: Integrated Humanitarian Response and Early Recovery Support for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Debre Birhan, Ethiopia

1. Background information about Bridge to Resilience (BtR)

Bridge to Resilience (BtR) is an Ethiopian, non-governmental, non-religious, and non-profit civil society organization established in 2013 by Ethiopian professionals committed to supporting vulnerable and marginalized communities. BtR works to address humanitarian needs, poverty, inequality, and disaster-related vulnerabilities through integrated humanitarian assistance, livelihood recovery, resilience building, and community-based interventions.

Over the years, BtR has developed strong experience in responding to emergencies and supporting affected populations, particularly women, children, persons with disabilities, older persons, internally displaced persons (IDPs), and disaster-affected communities. The organization operates through local partnerships and community-based approaches to ensure accountable, timely, and context-sensitive humanitarian support.

2. Humanitarian Response Experience and Achievements

BtR has implemented humanitarian and recovery interventions in Amhara, Tigray, Afar, and Oromia regions, reaching more than 50,000+ people through various emergency and resilience-building interventions.

Key areas of experience include:

• Emergency cash assistance to vulnerable households
• Commodity voucher support
• Direct food distribution
• Provision of non-food items (NFIs)
• Emergency shelter support and shelter rehabilitation
• Water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) interventions
• Livelihood recovery and women's economic empowerment initiatives
• Community-based protection and support for vulnerable groups

BtR's humanitarian work has been supported by partners and donors including World Jewish Relief (WJR), American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC), Start Network, and Ethiopian Family Fund, among others. BtR has also collaborated with humanitarian partners including Dorcas Aid Ethiopia and other local and international actors to expand assistance to communities affected by crises.

3. Current Humanitarian Situation in Debre Birhan

Debre Birhan is currently hosting a large displaced population affected by conflict and other humanitarian shocks. Across three IDP camps and surrounding host communities, the displaced population exceeds 45,000 people+, creating significant pressure on already limited humanitarian resources and basic services.

Many displaced families have experienced prolonged displacement, with some remaining in camps for more than six years. Existing shelters have deteriorated over time, while newly arrived displaced households have further increased demand for emergency shelter and essential services.

Recent humanitarian attention has focused on multiple crises globally, resulting in increased pressure on available resources and limited support for some displacement settings. In Debre Birhan, the continued influx of displaced families has worsened existing vulnerabilities and created urgent needs for coordinated humanitarian action.

4. Partnership Opportunity

BtR is seeking strategic partnerships with humanitarian organizations, donors, UN agencies, NGOs, foundations, private sector actors, philanthropists, and other stakeholders to support an integrated response for displaced communities in Debre Birhan Amhara regional State, Ethiopia.

Potential areas of collaboration include:

• Emergency shelter construction, repair, and rehabilitation
• Non-food item (NFI) assistance ( for the new ones)
• Water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services
• Protection support for vulnerable groups
• Emergency relief assistance
• Women's recovery and livelihood strengthening initiatives.

BtR welcomes financial, technical, operational, and in-kind partnerships to expand humanitarian support and help displaced families restore dignity, safety, and self-reliance.

5. Why Partner with Bridge to Resilience?

As a locally rooted local charity organization, BtR brings:

• Proven humanitarian response experience across multiple regions of Ethiopia
• Strong community presence, acceptance and local networks
• Experience working with vulnerable and displaced populations
• Established partnerships with national and international humanitarian actors and government stakeholders.
• Commitment to accountability, safeguarding, and effective humanitarian principles
• Experience on working with local & international partners and proven track record of grant management.

Through collective action and partnership, we can address urgent humanitarian needs while supporting displaced families to move from crisis toward recovery and resilience.

Contact for Partnership:
Bridge to Resilience (BtR)
Addisu Yilhal