INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS
Ethiopia has suffered from violence and conflict. This has affected many areas.
The UN reports that between 2020 and 2022;
there have been over 10,000 deaths, and 230 massacres
13 million people need food aid and 40,000 children are suffering acute malnutrition
damage to infrastructure, including schools, is estimated as costing £46.6 m.
there is massive inflation
We are caring for some of those most affected by building new communities in five areas for those driven from their homes.
Akima's Story
Our home was in the east of the country, near Jijiga.
There’s me, my daughter who is 8 and my son son who is 4. I’m on my own since
my husband left but we were happy and settled in our home with my mother
living near.
Then life changed. Tensions grew and gangs of youths have been attacking our homes and stealing all we have - some of my friends were killed. I was terrified that my children would be the next to die – so we took what we could carry and have come here to Bishoftu.
It’s hard for us. We have a room, but no blankets so we are cold at night.
We get some rice and oil from the government but it is not enough. The children are
bored and hungry. My mother has now come to join us – so that’s one more mouth
to feed.
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But there are good things too. Sadu my daughter has made a friend from a local
family. They play together every day and share all they have.
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With JeCCDO's support we now have a new house, clean water and help with education and medicine. Life is looking better.
What we are doing......
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Internally displaced persons are refugees within their own country.
People like Akima are forced to flee and come to safer places. Here the government provides land for accommodation and growing food. We provide basic necessities like food and clean water. Our aim is to enable and empower new communities.
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Watch a video of the Camp at Bishan Guracha. There are 6000 people living in this camp. We will support 150 families in desperate need.
Building simple but solid homes Installing tanks for clean water Emergency food distribution
Building new communities
New schools
Helping women build businesses
SUPPORT INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS
Heading 5
WHY BREAKFAST CLUBS?
ALEMSHET'S STORY
Alemshet has three children - two of them, Yabsera and Absinet, are at Biruh Tesfa
school. Alemshet was working as a daily labourer - when she could find work -
and couldn't earn enough to feed the children. They had dropped out of school.
They were invited to become part of the new breakfast club. Not only were the children
given a good meal every day for ten months and all school materials provided - but Alemshet was trained and supported in setting up a small business. She tells us. "Currently I have started my own business of selling vegetables by the roadside, I am now able to support my family and I hope to have a shop and grow this small business into something more profitable.” A small business but a big change in the life of the family.
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This is just one of 60 families whose lives have been changed by the Breakfast Club we set up klater year.
A new breakfast club
for Basso School
Basso Primary School is in the growing town of Debre Birhan. It has 619 pupils. Its in a poor area and many children are struggling at school because of lack of food and basic school materials. Following the success of the Biruh Tesfa club the school principal, Mr Gobaz, has started a breakfast club. He planned it for 60 children but has admitted 85! And still, he tells us, this is only about 20% of the children who need support.
So we have started feeding the children, provided uniforms and school books and have appointed a co-ordinator to visit the families and help them set up businesses.
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This is now the third breakfast club we have set up - and more are on the way. Its becoming recognised and effective way of helping families out of poverty.
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