Households in the Ethiopian highlands are vulnerable to myriad destabilizing shocks: bad weather and locust infestations undermine crop production; an able-bodied household member seeks out wage employment only to lose their job when the market contracts; a household breadwinner suffers a debilitating illness and bears a major financial loss trying to pay for treatment. Many social protection programs managed by the Ethiopian government — such as the Productive Safety Net Program (PSNP) and the Community-Based Health Insurance (CHBI) Program — provide benefits that can help households mitigate, adapt to and recover from these types of shocks…more
