Ethiopians Fighting Against Child Exploitation (E-FACE) was a four-year, $10 million project funded by the U.S. Department of Labor to reduce child labor, primarily in Ethiopia’s traditional weaving sector. Using a multi-sectoral approach, E-FACE provided direct education services to over 20,600 children and livelihood support to nearly 7,900 households. The project supported national policy reform, including Ethiopia’s National Action Plan to Eliminate the Worst Forms of Child Labor, and integrated child labor and trafficking topics into primary education curricula. Local bylaws in Gamo Gofa and Wolaita Zones extended protections across both target and non-target areas. E-FACE also strengthened child protection systems in 88 woredas and issued birth certificates to more than 15,600 children.
Results were significant: child labor among supported children dropped from 85% in 2012 to 1.4% in 2015, school retention increased from 60% to 99%, and enrollment rose from 64% to 95.1%. Academic performance improved dramatically, with 74.5% of students scoring above 65% in all subjects by 2015. Livelihood efforts saw 61% of TVET-trained youth secure formal jobs, while annual income for weavers and potato farmers rose by 89.9% and 858.4%, respectively. Village Savings and Loans Associations grew household assets to over $83,000, and 90% of trained business owners implemented workplace safety improvements for young employees.
