Three Million Children in Ethiopia Urgently
Need Food amid Worst Crisis in Decades
24 September, 2009 | International Save The Children Alliance
Alert Net
falling well short of increased needs, particularly in Ethiopia.
Across the Horn of Africa, an estimated 20 million people will need
emergency humanitarian assistance through the end of this year. In
comparison, last year – when drought, high food prices, and conflict
were also at issue – only 14 million needed such assistance in Ethiopia,
Eritrea, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan, and Uganda.
"We've not seen a food crisis of this magnitude and severity in many
years, and it is children who will suffer the most if the world fails to
respond quickly," said Ned Olney, Save the Children's vice president for
Global Humanitarian Response.
"In Ethiopia, millions of subsistence farmers are dependent on weather
patterns they cannot control," he said. "Now their children face not only
hunger, but the increased vulnerability to deadly disease that
accompanies severe malnutrition. These kids need help now."
Cases of acute watery diarrhoea are on the rise in Ethiopia, with 1,354
new cases and three deaths reported in just one week this month.
Meanwhile, food aid is lagging behind greatly increased needs. The
United Nations' World Food Program estimates a current shortfall of
US$400 million worth of food needed to reach hungry families in
Ethiopia.
The Ethiopian government estimates that 6.2 million people, half of them
children, will need emergency food aid in the next few months.
These needs are beyond those of the 8.2 million people in Ethiopia
already receiving food aid through the Productive Safety Net Program
run by the government together with Save the Children and other
humanitarian agencies. That programme distributes food in exchange for
community participation in public works, such as road, water well, and
school construction and rehabilitation.
In response to the current crisis, Save the Children plans to distribute
food to 800,000 people in some of Ethiopia's hardest hit areas, and is
expanding emergency health and nutrition programmes. These
programmes include therapeutic feeding centres for severely
malnourished children and supplementary feeding programmes for
severely and moderately malnourished children.
Sickness Worsens a Grave Situation
Save the Children is also developing and expanding water and sanitation
programmes to reduce cases of acute diarrhoea.
Additionally, Save the Children is working with refugee populations in
the Somali region, and plans to expand educational programmes
currently serving 4,500 children in the Boqolmayo refugee camp.
Save the Children also provides psychosocial counselling and health and
nutrition support as needed to unaccompanied children in the refugee
camp. With additional funds, these services could expand to help these
children reunite with their families.
More information
Save the Children has worked in Ethiopia since the 1930s, and has had a
permanent programme there since the 1970s. The agency responded to
the food crisis of 1984 and has continued to provide life-saving services
in times of severe food shortage.
Ethiopia is one of the poorest countries in the world, and Save the
Children is dedicated to supporting long-term development projects to
help families and communities better support themselves. Programmes
include health care interventions to reduce high rates of child mortality
and HIV/AIDS prevention and support programs. Save the Children also
works closely with pastoralist communities, providing alternative basic
education for children who cannot attend school, and livelihoods
support so their parents need not sell off their animals — often their
only assets — during times of hardship.
Please contact Kate Conradt, (+1 202 640 6631) Director, Media and
Communications, Save the Children US for media enquiries.
Need Food amid Worst Crisis in Decades
24 September, 2009 | International Save The Children Alliance
Alert Net
- WESTPORT, Conn.
(24 September 2009)
Persistent drought
compounded by higher
than average food
prices have created
East Africa's worst
food crisis in decades.
Millions of children
face the greatest risks,
falling well short of increased needs, particularly in Ethiopia.
Across the Horn of Africa, an estimated 20 million people will need
emergency humanitarian assistance through the end of this year. In
comparison, last year – when drought, high food prices, and conflict
were also at issue – only 14 million needed such assistance in Ethiopia,
Eritrea, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan, and Uganda.
"We've not seen a food crisis of this magnitude and severity in many
years, and it is children who will suffer the most if the world fails to
respond quickly," said Ned Olney, Save the Children's vice president for
Global Humanitarian Response.
"In Ethiopia, millions of subsistence farmers are dependent on weather
patterns they cannot control," he said. "Now their children face not only
hunger, but the increased vulnerability to deadly disease that
accompanies severe malnutrition. These kids need help now."
Cases of acute watery diarrhoea are on the rise in Ethiopia, with 1,354
new cases and three deaths reported in just one week this month.
Meanwhile, food aid is lagging behind greatly increased needs. The
United Nations' World Food Program estimates a current shortfall of
US$400 million worth of food needed to reach hungry families in
Ethiopia.
The Ethiopian government estimates that 6.2 million people, half of them
children, will need emergency food aid in the next few months.
These needs are beyond those of the 8.2 million people in Ethiopia
already receiving food aid through the Productive Safety Net Program
run by the government together with Save the Children and other
humanitarian agencies. That programme distributes food in exchange for
community participation in public works, such as road, water well, and
school construction and rehabilitation.
In response to the current crisis, Save the Children plans to distribute
food to 800,000 people in some of Ethiopia's hardest hit areas, and is
expanding emergency health and nutrition programmes. These
programmes include therapeutic feeding centres for severely
malnourished children and supplementary feeding programmes for
severely and moderately malnourished children.
Sickness Worsens a Grave Situation
Save the Children is also developing and expanding water and sanitation
programmes to reduce cases of acute diarrhoea.
Additionally, Save the Children is working with refugee populations in
the Somali region, and plans to expand educational programmes
currently serving 4,500 children in the Boqolmayo refugee camp.
Save the Children also provides psychosocial counselling and health and
nutrition support as needed to unaccompanied children in the refugee
camp. With additional funds, these services could expand to help these
children reunite with their families.
More information
Save the Children has worked in Ethiopia since the 1930s, and has had a
permanent programme there since the 1970s. The agency responded to
the food crisis of 1984 and has continued to provide life-saving services
in times of severe food shortage.
Ethiopia is one of the poorest countries in the world, and Save the
Children is dedicated to supporting long-term development projects to
help families and communities better support themselves. Programmes
include health care interventions to reduce high rates of child mortality
and HIV/AIDS prevention and support programs. Save the Children also
works closely with pastoralist communities, providing alternative basic
education for children who cannot attend school, and livelihoods
support so their parents need not sell off their animals — often their
only assets — during times of hardship.
Please contact Kate Conradt, (+1 202 640 6631) Director, Media and
Communications, Save the Children US for media enquiries.
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