Travelling along the bumpy dirt road out to the villages of Siraro district in Ethiopia, the first thing you notice is how beautiful the landscape is – rolling fields dotted with grass-roofed mud huts, pairs of oxen moving slowly side by side ploughing fields and passing donkeys transporting bundles of firewood and jerry cans of water.
This is one of Ethiopia’s most drought-prone areas, yet there has been some rain in the weeks before our visit so it’s greener than I expect. I’m also surprised at how peaceful it is – just like being in the countryside at home.
The other massive challenge here is the changing weather patterns. In Siraro, families are struggling to survive in a vicious cycle of flood and drought. Drought once came every 10 years, now it’s more like every one to two years. When the rains do come, they are erratic or too late. This is causing havoc for farming communities who survive on what they grow – when nothing grows, people don’t survive.
This is why ChildFund has been providing emergency food aid, water and medical care in Siraro, as part of our response to last year’s drought across the Horn of Africa. While the situation has stabilised, ChildFund’s support continues to ensure children are nourished and cared for during this critical time in their development. Rations of Famix (a nutritious porridge mix) and edible oil are being distributed to the most vulnerable families on a monthly basis.
However, while food aid supports you to survive, it can’t save your assets or livelihood. Longer-term solutions, such as drilling wells, installing rainwater cisterns, constructing grain storage tanks, diversifying people’s skills and incomes, and encouraging a savings culture, are also necessary to reduce the impact of future droughts. With ChildFund supporting all of these activities in Siraro, I left feeling hopeful that things are heading in the right direction.
With the support of our Project Humanity partners, ChildFund Australia is contributing to the relief effort in the Philippines, following the flash flooding and resulting devastation caused by Typhoon Washi.
Tragically, the storm has claimed the lives of more than 1,000 people, many are still missing, and over 40,000 children and families have fled their homes to wait in evacuation centres. Currently there are no reports of casualties from ChildFund-assisted communities, but many families have lost their belongings and their homes have been severely damaged.
The government of the Philippines is providing support through its military personnel, and ChildFund is providing emergency relief to 2,000 children and families in Cagayan de Oro, one of the worst-hit areas. This includes the distribution of bottled water, food items, hygiene kits and medical supplies.
Child-centred spaces have also been established by ChildFund in the evacuation centres, recognising that children in emergencies need a safe space in which to play and re-establish a sense of normalcy. John, a 13-year-old staying at a shelter, says: “It was so frightening. First, the water was at knee level. It then rose very quickly to my waist and then neck level. I almost drowned. Good that my father was able to get hold of me.”
Mark Anthony Dasco, ChildFund Philippines acting country director, says: “Child-centered spaces provide psychosocial support for children who have been affected by emergencies. They also provide a safe, physical space for children to gather in an unstable environment.” At the spaces, ChildFund is also able to monitor the health and wellbeing of children, and provide additional health support where necessary.
Over the longer term, ChildFund will work in partnership with communities to restore their livelihoods, particularly families dependent on agricultural and fishing activities which have been severely impacted by the flooding.
