Starvation darkens every door of stricken community
Concern blog Thursday, 31 July 2008
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Ethiopia: "our worst year yet" - 5 Aug 2008
Resorting to desperate measures - 1 Aug 2008
Starvation darkens every door of stricken community - 31 Jul 2008
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The food crisis in Ethiopia is continuing to deteriorate. Sarah Stack of the Press Association was in Ethiopia recently and will be writing about the people she met and her experiences over the next week as our guest blogger.
For Wondimeu Wogso, being a respected member of his community is an important aspect of his life.
As vice community leader of the Sadoye Kebele district, he’s an integral part of almost 1,000 households in rural southern Ethiopia. Now the 32-year-old father of four struggles alongside his neighbours. And his family are now starving to death.
"We are starving and striving to live, but we are not in good condition. Over 50% of people in the Kebele are in a very dangerous condition. Seed is the critical core of life. But households have eaten them. For others they have dried up."
As Wondimeu told of the plight felt by millions across the country, his young malnourished four-year-old son coughed continuously. "My child is not in a good condition," he said. "The others also. They are all coughing."
He said government food distributions were only being handed out to 350 of the poorest households in the area, "There are problems here."
"There is no food for eating. There is no help for people. Children are ill. They are swollen and are very tiny and skinny in our eyes. Other people are at risk of malaria and other diseases. Most of the cattle are dead. And the price of food has increased and is expected to increase.
"It's not a good year. But I have to try and maintain my family. I have one cow and if it rains I will sell her for seed."
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