ADRA Denmark receives a grant for aiding in drought-stricken Ethiopia
ADRA Denmark has received an extra grant of 680 000 € from the Denmark Ministry of Foreign Affairs to respond to the drought and hunger crisis in Ethiopia. The money comes from a pool of a total of 6,7 million euros to help starving people all over the Horn of Africa. With the support from Danida, ADRA can reach 7,000 households; up to 50,000 people.
An emergency grant will help prevent the hunger crisis in Ethiopia from escalating and turning into a famine of the dimensions that hit the country in the 80s. The world is again seeing press photos of emaciated children, cracked earth crusts, and dead animals in the sand from the south-eastern part of Ethiopia. Images from northern Kenya and southern and central Somalia show the same consequences of drought. The areas make up the Horn of Africa.
Danish International Development Agency- Danida supports 10 Danish organizations that assist with emergency aid in the Horn of Africa, with a total of more than 6,7 million euros (50 million DKK). The organizations receive roughly the same amount, and the extra grants are added to the already existing 4-year strategic partnerships with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“ADRA already has projects in Ethiopia’s dry and isolated Somali region, as one of the few Danish NGOs. Our organization has in-depth knowledge of the area where we have worked for several years,” says ADRA Denmark’s program manager Helene Ellemann-Jensen, adding ADRA Denmark is grateful for the extra funds to alleviate suffering and create hope for some of the world’s most vulnerable people.
“When we do emergency aid, we always think from a long-term perspective. Therefore, we do not only focus on feeding mouths now and then. It is equally important to think about how the population can quickly get back on their feet when the drought is over. The local communities must once again be able to produce food for animals and people themselves and maintain access to vital water resources,” further explains Ellemann-Jensen.
In the relief efforts, ADRA, therefore, integrates parts of the program the organization already has running in the region when the country is not affected by such an acute crisis. Through this, the inhabitants learn about efficient cultivation methods and receive specially developed plant seeds for drought-resistant fodder and human food.
Because the people in the Somali region are cattle nomads, ADRA also supports local veterinarians in being updated on important professional knowledge and equipment and improving their access to necessary veterinary medicine.
