In Ethiopia there are relatively large numbers of NGOs that are engaged inrndevelopment activities ill different parts of the countly these days. However, therernare contradictory views about the potential roles tlwt NGOs can play in tlternimprovement of tlte livelihood of tlte rural cOlllmunities. In view of this fact thernstudy has assessed the roles of NGOs in improving tIle livelihood of the ruralrncOl1lnulIIities by taking Mense/lenfur Nlense/len's' roles as a case study.rnThe study was conducted in Mer/wbete Woreda of the Amlzara National RegionalrnState. The Woreda is among tlte areas that have experienced consistentrninterventiolls of Menschen fur Menschen for tlte last 15 years. The study usedrnSustainable Livelihood Model as a conceptual framework.rnMenschen fur Menschen in Merlwbete ' was engaged ill five related areas, byrnembracing tlte major livelihood challenges in the Woreda in to five components.rnThese are the educational, heal/h, infrastructure and the women and developmentrncomponents. Each component had other sUb-component under it.rnIn its development intervention Mensch en fur Mensclten was privileged by winningrntlte trust and willingness of the people of Merhabete to work with it. Equally, botltrnnatural and manmade challenges Iwve been stood in tlte ways of Menschen fllrrnMenschen development endeavors in the Woreda. Some of tltese challenges werernthe topography of tlte Woreda, dependency of the local population and thernproblems related witlt the sustainability of tlte development projects.rnIn face of the opportunities and e/wllenges MenSc/len fur MenSc/len havernsuccesses and Iimitatiolls. The successes were resulted from partially from tlternexploitatioll of the opportunities. Some of tlte main areas of the successes ofrnMellschen fur Mense/len were in tlte areas of facilitating access to educatioll andrnIlealtlt institutions to the rural communities by constructing scltools and lzealtllrncenters.rnThe limitations of Nlenschen fur Menscltell are highly related to failures tornpromote the sustainability of its development projects mainly the potable waterrnsources, the preservation and rehabilitation of the natural ell vironment and therncredit and savillg service. NIoreover, Mellscllen fur Mense/len '5 records illrnpromoting comprehensive participations of tlte local communities in all itsrndevelopment projects were limited. Other limitations of Mense/len fur MenSc/lenrnwere failure to diversify tlte economic activities of tile population and failure tornadopt right advocacy approach.rnKeywords: Roles, NGO and Livelihood.