Our work in Ethiopia
Save the Children mounts response to food insecurity and malnutrition in Ethiopia Save the Children Ethiopia statement
Save the Children has been involved in emergency work in Ethiopia for over 65 years. We are one of the first on the scene when emergency hits. We work to ensure crises do not happen by supporting the early warning systems and long-term development projects for food security. We also work to strengthen the government's capacity to plan and respond to disasters. For example, we study how to improve the use of food aid so that the most amount of food gets to the largest number of people. We also conduct research on the causes and effects of food insecurity and malnutrition in order to influence donors, policy makers and the government to improve their services. As a result of better planning, the famine of 2003, which affected 14 million people, did not result in the mass starvation and crisis that it had in previous droughts.
The early warning system has to be coupled with quick response to distribute food to those in need. We distributed more than fifty-five million dollars worth of food aid and other commodities in 2003/4, saving the lives of millions of people. Save the Children provides food, water, and nutritional supplements to tide people over until the food security projects ensure they can feed themselves. We provide child-centred relief; ensuring children get specially catered food and vitamins for their survival. We also set up therapeutic feeding centres for severely malnourished children.
Save the Children does not only address the food needs of children but tries to ensure their lives are disrupted as little as possible during a drought. As a child rights organisation, we integrate protection, separation, education and child development, HIV/AIDS and health and food issues into our emergency preparedness work.
Save the Children also tries to influence policy change so that drought no longer results in famine. We carry out research on the causes of destitution and ensure that information is clearly communicated to the duty bearers. We then support the government to update and change its systems to respond to emergencies efficiently and effectively.
A majority of our work, though, is to ensure families are less susceptible to famine when drought arises. As such, we organize employment generation schemes (including food-for-work and cash-for-work activities) to assist communities to get back on their feet after drought. They will receive needed food but at the same time improve water and pasture resources, animal health and asset and income diversification. We promote income generation opportunities to encourage income diversification.
We also conduct on-farm research with farmers on low-cost, locally available and environmentally friendly crop protection methods. We intervene in animal health and veterinary programs to ensure livestock survive. All of this is done to ensure families have the needed time and resources to feed, educate and protect their children.