Anticipatory Action in Ethiopia: How Communities Keep Schools Open During Floods

Every year in Gambella, Ethiopia, the Gilo River overflows its banks, forcing nearly 70,000 children out of school, based on Regional Education Bureau’s records. For many, the interruption is permanent: around 21% never return to class.

“When the Gilo River overflowed, our school was flooded. Our school property was destroyed. We couldn't go to school because the entire road was flooded. Our notebooks were washed away,” stated one student at Allela Primary School.

To break this cycle, the Education Cluster, with funding support from UNICEF and the UK PPL Fund, piloted an Anticipatory Action (AA) and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) initiative, with the aim of keeping children in school.

More than 300 teachers, principals, and education officials were trained in Education in Emergencies, condensed lesson planning, and participatory teaching methods. An adjusted academic calendar ensured that students could complete the curriculum in a shortened school year, with make-up classes filling in lost time. Schools also saw improvements that directly supported children’s well-being and dignity, including new blackboards, staff rooms, and a dedicated Menstrual Hygiene Management room.

“For many years, the Gilo River was a problem for our village, destroying school properties,” explained Abjedo Uman, a teacher at Alella Primary School. But now, thanks to the training [we received] on how to prevent disasters before they happen, we have been able to protect our school. I hope the training will continue in the future.”

Community ownership was central to the project’s success and sustainability. A youth group was established and trained to lead preventive action against flooding. Under their management, the community built protective dikes around Jor town and its schools. When water levels rose, the youth group mobilized quickly, reinforcing the structures. For the first time in years, floodwaters were kept out of Alella Primary School throughout the July–September 2025 rains, safeguarding both the school and the wider community.

Neighboring communities have also prepared themselves and stand ready to act as triggers for future shocks are reached, with the sustainability of AA/DRR ensured by these youth groups.

Building Lasting Resilience Through Local Action

Globally, at least half of all humanitarian crises are predictable, and a recent UNICEF study found that in 2024 alone, 242 million students across 85 countries had their schooling disrupted by extreme climate events. Anticipatory action is a cost-effective way to save lives, livelihoods, and safeguard children’s right to education, by acting before disasters strike.

The positive results in Jor Woreda have already inspired plans to replicate the model in other flood-prone areas of Gambella, such as Jikawo. By embedding AA and DRR approaches into routine school planning and strengthening community action and youth-led efforts, this initiative demonstrates that even with modest investment, schools can remain open, resilient, and protective learning spaces, even in the face of recurring floods. 

Link to the full pilot initiative

photo: UNICEF/UNI640025