“One wall does not make a house” 

“One wall does not make a house” አንድ ግንብ ቤት አይሆንም።

For too long, development and humanitarian efforts, even when well-designed, have been delivered in silos: nutrition here, education there, protection somewhere else. Yet the reality is simple: communities experience life as a whole, not in sectors. Hunger affects learning. Violence undermines health. Poverty erodes protection. Looking back to some of the development programmes I have been part of, the community remain where it is, at times relapsing, despite decades of fragmented program interventions. I used to think my sector held the key.

Not anymore!

In practice, we often approach problems from where we stand, as nutritionists, educators, or protection specialists, focusing on our sector priorities, even though communities experience all of these needs at once.

Should we aspire for a real transformation, we need to change our lenses and be able to respond to the needs of our community as they appear.

Integrated programming responds to this reality. Through this thinking, we align humanitarian, development, and peacebuilding actions around one integrated Theory of Change.

Why now? Because the context demands it. In Ethiopia, climate shocks, conflict, economic pressure, and social norms intersect to create compound vulnerability. Fragmented responses can no longer deliver a durable impact. Communities need solutions that are layered, sequenced, and sustained.

From my own experience across program quality and strategy work, I’ve seen that integration is not about doing everything; it’s about doing the right things, together, at the right time. When programs align, ownership deepens, resilience strengthens, and change lasts.

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By Yidnekachew Wendaferew, Technical Director, World Vision Ethiopia