Project hightlight: The Keranyo Family and Community Strengthening Program
Keranyo is a community on the outskirts of Addis Ababa experiencing multidimensional poverty and is home to over half a million people.
Many women-headed households in Keranyo grapple with the absence of affordable childcare, often facing a tough choice between earning a living and caring for their children. This dilemma sometimes leaves them with no option but to leave children unsupervised or bring them to work. Additionally, these mothers contend with rising food costs causing malnutrition among many as they struggle to provide balanced meals.
SOS Children’s Villages has been working in Keranyo since 1997, implementing a Family Strengthening Program with a fully staffed Early Childhood Development and Community Centre. The program provides services to the most vulnerable and protects children while socially and economically empowering marginalized caregivers to independently meet their family’s needs. This is achieved by:
- Offering comprehensive early childhood development services, including free holistic childcare: nutritious meals, psychosocial support, healthcare and preschool education.
- Providing women with social and economic empowerment opportunities through skills development and business training.
- Strengthening community-based organizations to prevent and respond to rights violations and enhancing the capacity of the community to protect children and support vulnerable households through learning events and workshops.
This program successfully reaches those living in the most challenging circumstances, enabling them to live with dignity and care for their family.
Our impact in Keranyo
In 2025, 194 children, their 186 caregivers, and 30 community members engaged in various program activities, including early childhood education, vocational and business skills training, and child safeguarding sessions.
Download our Impact Report
The Keranyo Family and Community Strengthening Program: 2025 Impact Report
