Who we are
Cane for Generation
A national non-governmental organization dedicated to protecting vulnerable children, preventing harmful child migration, promoting equitable access to quality education, and strengthening family and community resilience across Ethiopia.
Our foundation
Cane for Generation
CANE FOR GENERATION (CANE) is a national non-governmental organization dedicated to protecting vulnerable children, preventing harmful child migration, promoting equitable access to quality education, and strengthening family and community resilience across Ethiopia.
The organization was established in response to the growing crisis of school dropout, child labor, unsafe migration, exploitation, and poverty affecting thousands of children, particularly in Southern Ethiopia, Central Ethiopia, Sidama, Oromia, Addis Ababa, South-West Ethiopia, and other high-risk areas.
Our identity
CANE FOR GENERATION (CANE) was established in response to the growing crisis of school dropout, child labour, unsafe migration, exploitation, and poverty affecting thousands of children—particularly in Southern Ethiopia, Central Ethiopia, Sidama, Oromia, Addis Ababa, South-West Ethiopia, and other high-risk areas.
The organization implements an integrated and child-centred approach that addresses both the immediate needs of vulnerable children and the underlying causes of their vulnerability. We work closely with government institutions, communities, schools, child protection structures, civil society organizations, development partners, private sector actors, and donors to deliver sustainable and locally owned solutions.
By investing in education, child protection, family resilience, and youth empowerment, Cane for Generation is committed to transforming the lives of vulnerable children and contributing to a future where every child has the opportunity to learn, grow, and realize their full potential in a safe, supportive, and dignified environment.
Vision
A future where every child in Ethiopia is safe, protected from harmful migration and exploitation, and empowered through education and sustainable opportunities to reach their full potential.
Mission
CANE FOR GENERATION is dedicated to preventing harmful child migration, ensuring equitable access to quality education for all children, and protecting vulnerable children. We achieve this by restoring access to education, strengthening child protection systems, rehabilitating and reintegrating at-risk children, and empowering families with sustainable livelihood opportunities that foster resilience and long-term well-being.
The crisis we can no longer ignore
A national call to action
Across the regions of Southern Ethiopia, Central Ethiopia, and Sidama, a deepening crisis is silently eroding the foundation of our nation’s future. Every day, increasing numbers of school-age children are abandoning their education—not by choice, but by circumstance. Many never start school; others leave classrooms, teachers, and dreams, compelled by hardship to migrate to urban centres such as Addis Ababa in search of survival. This migration often begins at an alarmingly young age—as early as six years old.
At such a formative stage of life, children should be building literacy, confidence, and social skills. Instead, they navigate harsh and unfamiliar environments, disconnected from their families and stripped of the protection that schools and communities provide. What should be a time of growth becomes a struggle for survival.
Understanding the drivers
At the heart of this crisis lies a complex web of interconnected challenges, with poverty at its core. For many families, daily life is defined by economic uncertainty. Households are forced into difficult decisions where immediate needs—food and survival—take precedence over long-term investments like education. Sending a child to work, even at a very young age, becomes a coping mechanism rather than a choice.
Access to education has improved through government efforts, but for vulnerable families, availability does not translate into true accessibility. Children leave school not because classrooms are absent, but because their families cannot afford to keep them there. Hidden costs—uniforms, exercise books, bags, contributions—combined with the opportunity cost of lost income make continued schooling unaffordable.
💸 Affordability crisis
Although primary education is officially free, hidden and indirect costs create significant barriers. Families often choose between food and supporting a child’s education. Without school feeding or cash assistance, the system unintentionally excludes those who need it most.
🌾 Food insecurity
Chronic hunger undermines attendance and performance. Seasonal shocks—drought, crop failure, rising prices—drive sharp increases in dropout as families adopt negative coping mechanisms including child labour and migration.
👷 Child labour & migration norms
In strained households, children are often viewed as economic agents. Urban migration appears rational because of perceived earning potential, and over time the practice becomes normalized in communities.
🛡️ Weak safety nets
Limited reach of social protection—cash transfers, food assistance, and enforcement of child protection laws—leaves families with few options when shocks hit. Education is often the first casualty.
The hidden cost
When children arrive in urban centres, they encounter exploitation, instability, and danger rather than opportunity. Many enter informal labour markets—domestic work, street vending, daily labour—working long hours for little or no pay, highly vulnerable to abuse, trafficking, and gender-based exploitation. The loss of education sharply reduces lifetime earning potential and traps them in cycles of poverty. Psychological impacts—trauma, anxiety, loss of self-worth—often persist into adulthood.
A national development threat
This crisis undermines Ethiopia’s commitments to Sustainable Development Goals 4 (Quality Education), 1 (No Poverty), and 2 (Zero Hunger). A generation deprived of education cannot fully participate in the workforce or drive growth. Socially, widespread child vulnerability weakens community cohesion and perpetuates marginalization. Addressing it is both a moral imperative and a strategic necessity for national development.
Our response
A child-centred, integrated commitment
Cane for Generation addresses this crisis through a holistic approach. We recognize that child migration and school dropout are symptoms of deeper systemic challenges and require solutions beyond isolated interventions.
- Prevention — working with communities to raise awareness, shift harmful norms, and strengthen family resilience so fewer children are pushed out of school.
- Protection — strengthening child protection systems, psychosocial support, and safe spaces for children already at risk or affected.
- Reintegration — supporting the return of out-of-school children to education through accelerated learning, school support, and collaboration with local education authorities.
- Family investment — livelihoods, economic assistance, and income-generating activities that reduce the pressures that lead to child migration.
The urgency is real. With each passing day more children leave school and more young lives are exposed to harm. Inaction is itself a decision—with devastating consequences. Investing in children is not a luxury; it is a necessity for a stronger, more equitable Ethiopia.
Accountability
Governance and accountability
Accountability is central to our mission. We commit to transparency in our work, responsiveness to the communities we serve, and continuous learning to improve our impact. We implement evidence-based programmes, advocate with policymakers and partners for systemic change, and uphold children’s rights with a strong, consistent voice.
Our commitment alone is not enough. Achieving meaningful change requires collective effort, shared responsibility, and sustained investment from government, civil society, donors, communities, and families. We stand ready to partner with all who share this vision.
Join us in protecting Ethiopia’s children
The time for discussion has passed. What is needed now is decisive, coordinated, and sustained action.