Resilience of people displaced from Ethio-Somali Region and resettled in Oromia Special Zone surrounding Finfinne (Addis Ababa), Ethiopia

Abstract

Inter-communal violence along the Oromia-Somali border displaced more than a million ethnic Oromo in 2018. Existing research gave slight attention to the resilience of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Ethiopia. Thus, the purpose of this study was to examine the resilience strategies and capacities of persons displaced from Ethio-Somali Region and resettled in Oromia Special Zone Surrounding Finfinne (Addis Ababa). The study was informed by resilience theory. This case study used interviews, focus group discussions, and observation to collect the data. Purposively selected 27 IDPs participated in the in-depth interviews and 6 officials participated in the key-informant interviews. Thematic analysis approach was used to analyse the data. Any information that harms participants was not disclosed. The findings of this study revealed that IDPs cope through social support system, reducing the frequency of eating, and begging. Coping was challenging for IDPs due to the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic, increasing cost of living, and new lifestyle. IDPs adapt through income generation and formal support system. Limited access to sources of income, lack of working space, and discrimination were the major challenges to  their adaptation. The major stressors affecting IDPs’ transformative capacities included limited basic infrastructure, lack of safety nets, and lack of commitment to properly implement IDP policies and strategies. The findings underline that stakeholders such as government, private sector actors, local communities, civil society organizations, and international actors should work together to build IDPs’ resilience through basic social services, social protection, empowerment, and enhancing the resilience of social institutions and networks.