Empowering Ethiopia’s Pastoral and Agro-Pastoral Communities

Friendship Support Association (FSA) is a national civil society organization founded in 2007 to improve the lives of pastoralist and agro-pastoralist communities in Ethiopia.

Through partnerships and community-driven action, we work to create lasting change in health, education, water access, gender equality, livelihoods, and peacebuilding.

📍 Headquartered in Addis Ababa, with regional and field offices across the Afar Region, our team of dedicated staff—87% of whom serve directly in communities—ensures impact where it’s needed most.

 

Our Impact in Numbers

  • 💧 18 solar-powered water systems providing safe water to 131,000+ people and 418,000+ livestock

  • 👩🏾‍⚕️ 74,000+ people reached through essential health services

  • 👩🏾 24,000+ women participating in Village Savings & Loan Associations (VSLAs)

  • 🌾 380 hectares of rangeland rehabilitated for fodder and food security

  • 🕊️ Inter-regional peace dialogues restoring cooperation and stability across borders

  • 🍎 11,000+ households supported with emergency food, nutrition, and recovery programs

 

Together, We Build Resilient Futures

FSA envisions a future where pastoral and agro-pastoral communities are literate, healthy, peaceful, self-reliant, and productive—equipped to address their own economic, social, and environmental challenges.

[Learn More About Our Work →]

We focus on four key areas for Afar pastoralists

 

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Education

In partnership with the Ministry of Education we work to build schools, train teachers, sponsor children's education, and teach adult literacy.

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Water

Nothing is more important to pastoralists than water.  We work with the community to develop conflict sensitive water points that support livelihoods and families.  

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Health

Our health interventions focus on maternal and child health, with an emphasis on nutrition.  Our goal is to reduce child mortality through improved health.

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Livelihoods

At the center of the Afar life is the camel.  We focus on livelihood interventions that build resiliency through diversification and asset strengthening. 

 

Our Partners

We proudly work with a range of international and national partners including:

  • European Union (EU)

  • CARE

  • Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe

  • World Food Programme (WFP)

  • Gavi

  • Regional Governments and Local Communities

Together, we’re building sustainable systems for health, peace, and prosperity.

 

We focus on engagement, accountability, and results for our partners and communities

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FSA’s commitment to transparency and accountability made partnership easy.
— Aaron White, East Africa Regional Director
Working with FSA has been refreshing. They are open to new ways of working and new ideas.
— Esther Watts, CARE Ethiopia Country Director
 

Contact us

Give us a call at +251-11-369-8742 (office) and +251-929-930-516 (mobile)

 

Connect with FSA