In an era defined by complex global challenges—climate change, resource degradation, social inequality, and economic uncertainty—nonprofit organizations must continually evolve to remain impactful and relevant. For SOS Sahel Ethiopia, this moment calls for renewed vision, strategic focus, and bold leadership. The development of the Five-Year Strategy (2026–2030) marks a decisive step in charting the organization’s path toward a more resilient, innovative, and transformative future.

This new strategy is both a continuation and a renewal. It builds on the strong foundation laid by the 2020–2025 Strategic Plan, which positioned SOS Sahel Ethiopia as a credible and financially stable national organization following its transition from an international entity in 2007. Over the past years, we have deepened our impact—empowering smallholder farmers and pastoralists, influencing national policy, and forging dynamic partnerships across civil society, government, academia, and the private sector. These achievements have established SOS Sahel Ethiopia as a trusted agent of change and a leader in community-centered development.

The 2026–2030 Strategy sets out to amplify this impact, driving the organization to think and act beyond traditional boundaries. It provides the space to reflect, reimagine, and reposition SOS Sahel Ethiopia in light of rapidly evolving development paradigms. By aligning with emerging global and national priorities—such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Paris Climate Agreement, and the UN Food Systems Transformation Agenda, Africa’s Agenda 2063, and Ethiopia’s Ten-Year Development Plan—the new strategy reaffirms our commitment to people-centered, planet-sensitive, and policy-influencing development.

The rationale for this new strategy is grounded in a forward-looking vision:

Strategic Focus and Direction: To sharpen our purpose, unify our mission, and direct collective energy toward high-impact priorities that drive systemic change.

  • Resource Effectiveness: To ensure every investment—financial, human, and intellectual—yields sustainable value for communities and ecosystems.
  • Resilience and Agility: To anticipate and adapt to social, environmental, and economic shifts with creativity and foresight.
  • Partnership and Accountability: To strengthen trust and collaboration with communities, government, donors, and the private sector through transparency and shared learning.
  • Sustainability and Legacy: To embed long-term thinking and resilience into all we do—leaving behind not only successful projects, but stronger institutions, empowered people, and thriving landscapes.

This strategy is more than a roadmap—it is a renewed commitment to transformation. It signals SOS Sahel Ethiopia’s determination to remain a catalyst of hope, resilience, and innovation, leading the way in harmonizing people, nature, and prosperity. Through this strategic vision, we reaffirm our belief that sustainable development begins with empowered communities and restored ecosystems—where people and planet thrive together.

The strategic planning process followed a structured sequence of steps:

1. Strategy Development Kick-off Workshop: A consultative workshop was held with the Board, management, and staff to establish a shared understanding of the purpose, scope, methodology, and expected deliverables of the strategic planning. exercise.

2. Contextual and Policy Analysis: An in-depth review was conducted of SOS Sahel Ethiopia’s operational, policy, and institutional contexts at both national and global levels to identify emerging trends, challenges, and opportunities.

3. Field Consultations and Stakeholder Engagement: Field visits were undertaken to flagship projects in Bale and Hawassa to appreciate on-the-ground achievements, challenges, and lessons learned. These visits enabled the team to capture the views,
expectations, and aspirations of key stakeholders, including farmers, farmers’ unions, local and regional government officials, natural resource experts, academic partners, and community leaders.

4. Review of Organizational Identity: The process revisited and refined SOS Sahel Ethiopia’s Vision, Mission, and Core Values to ensure continued relevance and alignment with the evolving development landscape.

5. Institutional and Strategic Analysis: A SWOT Analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) was conducted to identify internal capacities and external factors influencing the organization’s performance and strategic positioning.

6. Identification of Key Strategic Issues and Objectives (2026–2030): The analysis informed the identification of SOS Sahel Ethiopia’s key strategic issues, priorities, and objectives for the strategy period.

7. Strategy Formulation: Specific strategies and result-oriented interventions were developed for each strategic objective to guide implementation, resource mobilization, and performance monitoring over the five-year period.

Through this inclusive and evidence-driven process, the new strategy reflects both the voices of communities and partners and the strategic foresight of SOS Sahel Ethiopia’s leadership, positioning the organization to deliver transformative and sustainable impact in the years ahead.