In Ethiopia, the war in Ukraine – along with the worst drought in 40 years – is leading to food shortages and famine. Local inspection “Krone” in the south of the country.
Dimeka, 630 kilometers south of the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa. Kuri Ayke stands on the field and has his eyes on the sky. “The drought has been going on for several months now,” she murmurs, “we will soon be out of food and hungry.” Ayke feeds her family almost exclusively on herbaceous leaves. The earth is bone dry, the air stuffy. It is 30 degrees and it has been consistently warm for weeks. A few plants survived – thanks to a project that Caritas International started with local partners for farmers.
They are provided with seeds and learn new ways of breeding. People from aid organization “Score” have given her a training. This is how Ayke learned to protect her vegetables from the scorching sun. The mother of three children takes branches and leaves and uses them to cover her corn plants. Nevertheless, if the rain does not come soon, there will be no harvest. It’s a long walk to the water. Ayke takes us to her village. Here she and her family have a small hut made of wood and straw. Ayke crushes some grain with a rock. Meanwhile, her daughter responsibly calms her crying brother.
Next door Ayke’s neighbor feeds her chickens. She has her roosters and hens from Caritas. If fed and watered enough, they will lay eggs quickly. A ray of hope, because Gusho Aeshal (21) wants to sell her.
With the water that remains, she mixes a cereal porridge, forms and cooks it. She fills her jerry cans every day – it’s a long walk to the water towards the mountains and back. “Every time I think about the future, I worry. If it doesn’t rain soon, there’s no hope left,” she says.
It’s a doom loop. The drought leads to crop failures, livestock such as cows or oxen die due to the water shortage and pollute the groundwater. Waterborne diseases such as cholera or typhoid are the result.
Malnutrition, tuberculosis and malaria are ubiquitous here
At the Fulassa Catholic Medium Clinic, Soy George and her team care for anyone who needs help. The “Missionaries of Charity”, founded by Mother Teresa, have been a lifeline for the suffering population for 50 years. “Our patients come from all over. Most of them are very poor,” Sister Soy says. “If a token amount of money cannot be paid, the therapy remains free. Malnutrition, tuberculosis, malaria are ubiquitous here.”
Caritas is also active here – donations made it possible to renovate the site and purchase medical equipment.
A home for Abiyu
A man takes little Abiyu to the clinic. The next patient is only three years old. A father of five has long cared for orphaned Abiyu. “He can barely feed his own children,” says Soy, “so he asked us to find a home for the boy. Until now, the child lived on food donations from the village community.”
Abiyu has a serious protein deficiency and is malnourished, the sister explains. The few hairs and the many wrinkles on the skin of the feet are a clear indication of this. “Probably also a worm infestation due to poor hygiene,” Soy George estimates as she examines the abdomen. Last week they gave the foster father a donation of food, but that had to be divided among the six children.
Abiyu is just one of nearly six million malnourished children in the Horn of Africa. If the rain does not come, a catastrophe threatens: according to estimates by the United Nations, this number could rise to 20 million. Klaus Schwertner, General Manager of Caritas Austria, appeals to the readers of “Krone”: “In Austria we are currently dealing with inflation and the war in Ukraine. But when small children are starving, we must not remain silent, we must act! Every donation helps and is much needed.”
Help with:
With 30 euros you can let a schoolchild in South Ethiopia have a warm lunch at school for a semester.
Caritas donation account
first bank
BIC: GIBAATWWXXX
IBAN: AT23 2011 1000 0123 4560
Password: famine
Source: Krone

I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.