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Missing From Ethiopia (MFE) is a free, public registry that helps families search for missing Ethiopians and helps the community keep their names visible. This article explains what we are, why we exist, and how the registry works, for families who want to use it, and for journalists, researchers, and partner organisations who want to understand it.
0101 What Missing From Ethiopia is
MFE is a humanitarian project that documents Ethiopians who have gone missing, most often along migration routes: the eastern route through Djibouti and Somalia across the Gulf of Aden towards Yemen and Saudi Arabia, the northern route through Sudan, Libya, and Egypt towards the Mediterranean, and the southern route towards South Africa. At its heart is a searchable registry: a clear, public record of missing people that anyone can browse and search.
The registry is:
- Free to use, for reporting and for searching.
- Multilingual, available in English, Amharic, Afaan Oromoo, Tigrinya, and Arabic.
- Community-focused, built for and with Ethiopian communities at home and in the diaspora.
0202 Why the registry exists
When someone goes missing on a migration route, information is scattered. Appeals get lost in social media feeds, details are inconsistent, and there is often no single place to look. Families search alone, and the same case may circulate in a dozen half-remembered forms.
A registry solves a specific problem: it turns scattered, fading appeals into one consistent, searchable record. That makes each case easier to find, easier to share, and easier for a moment of recognition to reach the right family.
0303 How the registry works
Reporting a case
Anyone can report a missing person, a family member, a friend, or a community member acting on a family's behalf. The report captures the person's name and photo, where and when they were last seen, the route they were taking, and private contact details for the family.
Review
Each submission is reviewed by our team before it appears publicly. This step keeps the registry accurate and respectful, and lets us check details where needed. Contact details provided by families are kept private and are never published.
Publishing and sharing
Once reviewed, a case is published to the public registry and can be shared so it reaches the wider community. The larger the audience, the greater the chance that someone recognises the person.
Information coming back
When someone has information about a case, it reaches our team, and we pass credible information to the family privately. The registry is a bridge between the person who remembers something and the family waiting to hear it.
0404 Who Missing From Ethiopia serves
- Families searching for a missing relative, who need a trustworthy place to record and share an appeal.
- Communities, who want to help look out for one another.
- Journalists and researchers, who are trying to understand the scale and human reality of disappearance among Ethiopians.
- Partner organisations, who work in refugee protection, family tracing, and human rights.
0505 How we handle sensitive information
These are sensitive cases, and we treat them that way. Families control what they share, private contact details are never made public, and we aim to publish in a way that is accurate and respectful of the people involved. If a family has concerns about publishing, they can contact us and we will talk it through.
0606 For journalists, researchers, and partners
If you are reporting on Ethiopian migration and disappearance, or work for an organisation in this space, we welcome contact. We are happy to discuss the registry, responsible use of case information, and partnership. Please get in touch.
0707 How to get involved
MFE grows stronger as more people take part. You can:
- Report a missing person you are searching for.
- Browse and share the registry within your community.
- Get involved as a volunteer or supporter.
Every name on the registry represents a family that has not given up. If that describes you, or if you can help someone else, you are in the right place.