Climate protection

Climate protection that saves lives

Climate change is being felt all over the world. We are also noticing that our summers in Germany are getting hotter, heavy rain is causing some outdoor events to be canceled, basements are flooding, and roads and railways are being closed.

But climate change does not affect everyone equally. In countries such as Ethiopia, increasingly extreme weather events such as prolonged droughts or torrential downpours threaten the existence of entire village communities. Especially in areas where poverty is widespread and dependence on agriculture is high.

For over 40 years, Menschen für Menschen has been working together with local communities in Ethiopia to promote economic and social development, safeguard livelihoods, and create opportunities. Today, more than ever, this also means effective climate protection.

Support the people of Ethiopia in protecting their environment and building a future – through “green” stoves, tools for terrace farming, or agricultural training. Every contribution counts – for climate protection and for the future of the people.

Donate now – for people and the planet

Climate protection is a matter for the Earth

Soil erosion. Disappearing forests. Lost habitats: in rural Ethiopia, we see the consequences of deforestation on mountain slopes for building materials, firewood, or farmland. Without tree roots and shrubs, the bare soil is left unprotected against heavy rain and landslides. Fields are washed away, crops destroyed, livelihoods threatened.

And this is exactly where the chance for a fresh start lies: Menschen für Menschen works together with local communities to restore depleted soils through reforestation, biodiversity promotion, and sustainable land management.

Climate protection that takes root

For us, it’s not “just” about planting trees, but creating stable, diverse, and sustainable ecosystems. We create forests with different types of trees and shrubs that provide shade, protect the soil, store water, and absorb CO₂. Life returns to these protected areas, with insects, birds, and wild animals finding new habitats.

Every reforested area is a win for the local communities. And for the global climate.

Connecting through climate protection

Climate protection only works when local communities benefit from it in a sustainable way. That is why at Menschen für Menschen, climate action and sustainable development go hand in hand. Reforestation is combined with long-term measures such as access to clean water, healthcare, sustainable agriculture, education for children and youth, and the empowerment of women. Because everything is interconnected.

Our initiatives

To turn forests into the future, we rely on:

A group of workers is working at a plant nursery.

Participation from day one

The local population is actively involved from the very beginning and is voluntarily committed to protect the reforested areas in the long term.

Hilly landscape with terraces to protect from landslides.

Protect the soil, conserve water

Terraces and wire baskets filled with stones stabilize the soil. Terraces, like the micro-basins, capture rainwater and ensure it can seep into the ground.

An employee of a plant nursery is holding a seedling in his hand.

Enhance biodiversity

Native trees are carefully planted to help other plants and wildlife return, further increasing biodiversity.

A family stands in front of their home, surrounded by trees and other plants.

Sustainable use instead of overexploitation

Fast-growing trees near the farm ensure the supply of timber and firewood – and protect the newly emerging forest.

A woman shows her wood-saving stove in her home

Healthy cooking, protect the climate

Wood-saving stoves reduce firewood consumption, smoke and health risks in households – all while lowering CO₂ emissions.

Create income, gain independence

Beekeeping, chicken farming, and vegetable cultivation create additional sources of income – and ensure a better and more independent life.

A female farmer proudly shows her freshly harvested sweet potatoes.

Harvest more, live better

Higher-yielding fields with improved seeds ensure food security, while surplus produce can be sold to boost independence.

An employee of Menschen für Menschen conducting agricultural training in the field

Knowledge that lasts

Training and workshops accompany every project – and promote resource conservation while also supporting the long-term self-sufficiency of communities.

Who benefits – locally and globally?

Village communities that are better protected from extreme weather events such as heavy rainfall and landslides thanks to reforested slopes.
Farmers who can secure their soil and land in the long term and cultivate it profitably thanks to reforestation.
Women whose burden of collecting firewood is reduced thanks to fast-growing fuelwood sources, giving them more time for income generation and education.
Young people who can shape their future thanks to tree nurseries, reforestation work, and biodiversity-based work such as beekeeping.
Children who can grow up healthier thanks to fertile soils and a stable food supply.
And all of us, because every new forest on Earth stores CO₂, regulates heat, and protects biodiversity.

People benefit from forest products in many ways. The global climate also benefits – and so do we all – from the “climate hero tree.”

Become part of the change

Climate protection at Menschen für Menschen is more than a project. It is an invitation to stand together. For a healthy climate – and fair opportunities for all. Together, we create sustainable solutions that strengthen social justice: locally rooted, globally effective.