Community Engagement in Emergency School Feeding Initiatives: The Case of Quiha Internally Displaced Peoples (IDPs) Location, Tigray-Ethiopia

Abstract

This study explored community engagement in emergency school feeding initiatives in Quiha, Tigray, Ethiopia, a conflict-affected region hosting internally displaced peoples (IDPs). Employing a qualitative case study design, the research explored how community members participate in school feeding programs and their relative strengths, the pathways utilized to mobilize the social capital relevant for the community-based school feeding initiatives. Data were collected through key informant interviews and focus group discussions with parents, students, teachers, community leaders, representatives of non-government organizations (NGOs) operating in the area, and analyzed thematically. The study revealed that community-based approaches are effective to context in promoting the reintegration and retention of internally displaced children in basic education. Amid adversities, the community-based approach observed to have leverage local resources, foster ownership, and integrate indigenous socio-cultural values, enhancing social cohesion and helps to mitigating conflict. The research underscores the pivotal role of social capital, built on trust and cooperation, in empowering communities to address their needs. It advocates for a shift from transactional to transformational roles for non-state actors, emphasizing community empowerment and the revitalization of local potential during both crises and normalcy. The study concludes that community-based school feeding effectively leverages social assets and capital, supporting initiatives during and after crises, and recommends that government and non-government organizations prioritize strategies that advocate for and sustain community engagement in their school feeding programs.