“My mission now is to support people in need and make a positive difference to their lives” Dini Ali Geas
After months of escalating tensions, northern Ethiopia has again descended into war, affecting the regions of Tigray, Amhara and Afar. Desta Ethiopia is responding in all three areas. We are indebted to our colleague and friend, Dini Ali Geas (pictured) for stepping in to help – as he did during the last conflict – by distributing emergency supplies in one of the most inhospitable places on earth and hugely under-resourced: the Danakil Depression in Afar.
As ever, it’s the ordinary people who suffer. At the beginning of October Dini reported from the regional capital, Semera, that thousands were fleeing the heavy fighting in the Danakil area. Road blocks were creating critical food shortages, and spiralling prices were putting basic necessities out of reach. Electricity, telecommunications, and banking were all down. Many of the towns in the area including Erebti, Abala and Berahle were totally cut off from the outside world. It’s hardly possible to imagine a worse situation. Circumstances like this make it difficult for large aid agencies to respond quickly, but this is when little Desta Ethiopia comes into its own: within hours of the situation stabilising sufficiently, Dini was able to travel to Hamed Ela with vital supplies.
We are a small charity and we can’t move mountains, but we can make the most of our resources by working effectively with our team of local, well-informed and motivated volunteers to target greatest need. With just £1000 of your donations we were able to provide 30 households with enough food for around a month. Put simply, that’s survival at about £5 per head. So if ever you think that your contribution doesn’t count, think again. Desta Ethiopia will continue to support people in the war-affected areas as long as there is need and our resources hold out. At the same time we remain committed to our long-term projects: supporting poor families and elders in remote rural areas of Tigray, and providing basic meals for Mekelle’s vulnerable internally displaced kids in partnership with local NGO, Keradion. We are happy and relieved to be able to report that, thanks to your contributions, they are all safe and well. However doing all this is stretching our resources and we need more donations to keep it all going.
The return of war is heartbreaking, but it at precisely these times that positive thinking and action is needed most.
As ever, a big shout out to all our loyal supporters. Together we are a solid force making good things happen. And to anyone reading this who has not yet joined us, please come on board and make good things happen too!
LOVE FROM DESTA ETHIOPIA!
