Sustainable livelihoods, stronger families
How child grants are helping families build a better future in Ethiopia
In Ethiopia's Sidama region, vulnerable families are beginning to rebuild their lives. Through UNICEF's child grant programme, supported by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), unconditional cash transfers are helping parents invest in their livelihoods, improve their children's well-being and look to the future with greater confidence.
For Tarikua Tawa, the support has opened new possibilities. Through farming, raising livestock, and regular guidance from social workers, she has increased her family's income and improved her children's diet. We spent a day with Tarikua to learn how these changes are helping her build a brighter future for her family.
As the day begins, Tarikua makes her way to the local health post with her two-year-old daughter, Tihitina. During a routine check-up, a health extension worker measures the child's growth and nutrition. The results are reassuring: Tihitina's MUAC measurement is in the green zone, and her weight and height are appropriate for her age. She is healthy and growing well.
"I follow the advice of the health workers and make sure my daughter attends her regular check-ups," says Tarikua. "Seeing her healthy and growing well makes me happy."
Back at home, everyday moments become opportunities for learning. Before meals, Tarikua encourages Tihitina to wash her hands and face. Too young to understand the importance of hygiene, the toddler happily follows her mother's lead, picking up healthy habits through observation and play.
"I am happy that I can provide for my family."
In the backyard kitchen, Tarikua prepares lunch using vegetables harvested from her garden and eggs collected that morning from her chickens. What was once a struggle has become a source of pride. As she cooks, she sings and plays with her daughter, filling an ordinary day with simple moments of joy.
"I am happy that I can provide for my family," she says.
Tarikua's story is one of many made possible through UNICEF's child grant programme, supported by Sida. Launched in Sidama two years ago, the programme provides regular cash transfers to vulnerable households, particularly pregnant women and mothers with young children, helping them meet immediate needs while investing in a more secure future. Families receive support for 12 to 18 months, allowing them to purchase nutritious food and other essentials
But the programme offers more than cash alone. Through regular visits, social workers work with families to plan for the future and explore ways to grow their income, whether through raising chickens and livestock or expanding vegetable production. The objective is to help families build sustainable livelihoods that continue to support them long after the final payment is received.
Determined to make the most of the support, Tarikua invested the cash transfers in goats and chickens while continuing to cultivate vegetables on her land. Together, she and her husband have been steadily building their family's income. In addition to farming, her husband sells coffee harvested from their backyard and trades coffee purchased from neighbouring farmers.
Looking across her fields, Tarikua is already planning ahead. "I expect a good harvest of green peppers, tomatoes and cabbage," she says. "Next year, I hope to expand my farmland so I can produce even more."
The changes in Tarikua's life are reflected in her children's future. Her two older children attend school regularly, while her youngest daughter is growing up healthy and strong. For the family, these are signs that their hard work is paying off.
For Tarikua, the child grant was more than a cash transfer. It provided an opportunity to invest in her family's future, improve her children's well-being and build a more secure livelihood. With the right support, families like hers are creating brighter futures, one step at a time.
