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Fighting malnutrition in Ethiopia

Fighting malnutrition in Ethiopia

Around the world hunger is an all too familiar problem – families are going without for a variety of reasons. A lack of money, aid or resources can often be avoidable issues to overcome, however, in Ethiopia, the current, most life-threatening problem is down to the powerful El Nino weather phenomenon, which caused droughts so severe that crops will not grow, livestock is dying and families are starving. Now that the droughts are over, flooding has overtaken the areas, washing away any possibility of earth ready for harvest next year.

Thnat has a granddaughter that is severely malnourished

Children are being sent to Plan International health centres with severe malnutrition. Thnat, 45, lives in a village in the Amhara district of Ethiopia, her grandchild has been suffering from malnutrition, caused by the droughts of El Nino.

“When the medical experts weighed my grandchild, they told me she was malnourished. I’m worried, I’m not strong enough to provide for my children anymore as there isn’t enough food. If I get any weaker I won’t be able to support them.”

At least 10 million people in Ethiopia now require food assistance and Plan International is working with as many families as possible to give them aid and distribute drought-resistant seeds so they can plant next year’s crop.

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We had to sell all our cattle

Our staff are working in food distribution centres across Ethiopia, watch our video to hear the stories of two women whose children are desperate for food.

Thnat says, “my biggest fear is that if this drought gets worse my granddaughter will not get better and my other children will have to drop out of school so that they can go out to work instead.”

To date, Plan International has helped over 44,000 women and children under five who are suffering from malnutrition, but the country still needs $700 million to help those in immediate need.

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