Tearfund Ethiopia Appeal

(from www.lifeandwork.org)

International development charity Tearfund has launched an urgent appeal for its partner church in Ethiopia, where the hunger crisis is deepening.

In southern Ethiopia, families are facing the prospect of a failed harvest for the sixth time in a row. Over 20 million people do not have enough to eat. As the drought persists, exacerbated by climate change, a lack of access to food and safe water weakens people’s immunity and increases their vulnerability to diseases.

Tearfund’s partner, the Ethiopian Guenet Church Development and Welfare Organization (EGCDWO) are providing alternative support to families in the worst affected areas. The organisation identifies families most in need and gives them cash to buy essentials like food, livestock and medical treatment. 

The EGCDWO aims to use any funds raised by Tearfund’s appeal to help people in the region to protect and adapt their livelihoods to the changing climate and avoid starvation. In some cases this means buying new livestock, such as sheep and goats, which are more able to withstand drought conditions as compared to cattle. And, in an effort to reduce dependency on livestock, the church will be teaching climate-smart agriculture techniques so that people can continue to grow their own food even as the climate crisis worsens and prices soar. The church is also setting up new self help groups so that communities can support each other in the long term. 

Simba Nyamarezi, Tearfund’s country director in Ethiopia, said: “For rural communities, who rely on farming, the drought has made their way of life impossible. It also means that, when the rains do come, the land struggles to absorb the water like it used to. This leads to flash flooding – as the water has nowhere to go. Homes and what little crops or cattle are left are washed away. There are some techniques that we can offer to improve farming outcomes, but the situation is very serious and we need more resources.

“Tearfund is supporting its partners in the region to provide unconditional cash support for essential needs such as food and medicine. After this they will provide cash to help them buy livestock so they can stabilise the situation. The scale of this crisis is huge and urgently needs more support and prayer.”

More information about Tearfund’s appeal can be found at: tearfund.org/EthiopiaHunger

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