The war, siege, and blockades profoundly disrupted social welfare organizations in Tigray, including Equb, Eddir, and other community-based initiatives that historically supported mutual aid, conflict resolution, and development. These disruptions resulted in financial losses exceeding USD 278.07 million, contributing to economic collapse, rising poverty, reduced access to essential services, weakened social cohesion, and large-scale displacement, collectively undermining long-term recovery and development.
One of the most severe impacts has been the erosion of community cohesion. Institutions that traditionally fostered inclusion and cooperation were severely weakened, deepening social divisions. A household survey of 658,776 respondents reported widespread damage to social and cultural values, including broken family bonds, fractured social ties, erosion of social norms, declining cooperation, reduced trust, diminished optimism for peace, and weakened self-sufficiency. Consequently, community participation in local institutions declined sharply due to economic, social, and psychological barriers.
The humanitarian consequences further overwhelmed social welfare organizations. Massive loss of life, widespread sexual violence, and large-scale displacement strained already limited resources and reduced the ability of these institutions to deliver essential services. The war also eroded public trust in both formal and informal welfare structures, leaving loss of legitimacy and diminished community engagement.
For the details, see the full report, from page 266: https://citghub.org/the-systematic-undoing-of-society-war-damage-and-loss-in-the-social-sector-of-tigray/
