This article explores how the notion of vulnerability unfolds in residential childcare institutions involved in humanitarian aid interventions in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. It examines the prevailing narratives of adults and Western positionality regarding institutionalised children in the Global South, and discusses the methodological implications of conducting participant observation in such settings.
Drawing on data collected during ethnographic research, the contribution deconstructs the concept of vulnerability as it pertains to institutionalised children, illustrating the structural and relational factors that reinforce their marginality and social exclusion. Finally, it proposes a methodological lens for involving children in the research process and recognising their perspectives.
