Who We Are
Vision
We long to see people flourishing in community using the languages they value most.
Mission
We advocate, build capacity, and work with local communities to apply language expertise, which advances meaningful development, education, and engagement.
Our Impact
Our Core Goals
Serving Ethiopia’s Language Communities
By 2025, a growing number of language communities in the Horn of Africa will be strengthened through the work of SIL Ethiopia to learn, cultivate, and utilize the mother tongues more effectively.
We aim to see:
- 34 language communities with mother tongue-based Multilingual Education Programs
- 43 language communities in Digital Language Services
- 45 language communities in Language Technology
Our Partners
“It takes a whole village to raise a child.” (African proverb)
Communities
We collaborate with local language communities.
Governments
We partner with national and regional governments.
Funders
We work with funding organizations.
Implementing Partners
We enable local implementing partners.
Our History
A Timeline of Events for Ethiopia
1972
SIL first visited Ethiopia to seek partnership.
1973-1974
SIL ran Linguistics courses in Addis Ababa Universoty.
1974
The overthrow of Emperor Haile Selassie.
1976-1978
Red Terror.
1981
The first computers arrived to support SIL work.
1991
Downfall of the Derg.
1991
SIL is formally registered under MOE.
1992
SIL hired our first Ethiopian staff.
1992-1993
SIL performed a major survey of 40 Ethiopian languages.
1995
The Ethiopian Constitution is adopted.
2012
Prime Minister Meles Zenawi passed away.
2018
Abiy Ahmed became Prime Minister.
2023
SIL celebrated 50 years working in Ethiopia.
Contact Us
PO Box 313/1033 Ayer Tena
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia