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Village of Buge
From March until September last year, there was heavy and continuous rain.
The rains destroyed the crops we planted and nothing grew
This year, there was a lot of sun and no rain so it was very dry
which caused drought and many people staved because nothing grew.
Before the Red Cross came to help us my family had no food to eat
and no clothes to wear and we suffered so much. We were weeping
and feeling helpless
While the situation in general is quite bad,
after the drought, I would say coupled with the enourmous increase in the food prices
have put the families over here are very complicated situation.
In spite of the fact we can see the place is quite green
the access to land is very limited for most of the families so the situation is quite critical.
The crops are growing. We are happy now, because of the help
of the Red Cross. We have planted the maize seeds that the Red Cross
gave us and we are eating the food they gave us and feeding our
cattle the left over maize.
The volunteer service is very important for us, the backbone of the Red Cross
because the volunteers are coming from their community centres
so they are reliable for our distribution.
We went from house to house with some members of the local women's
and youth associations and elders who know the village well.
We looked at each house and identified the worst cases
We have started already with emergency seed distribution.
We intend to work with livestock and also water and sanitation components.
It is our idea to carry on with this general food distribution up until November,
entering into a transition period of a more recovery orientated program.
I was interested in being a volunteer beacuse I heard the Red Cross
helped people. I saw in movies and in the media that it helps people
and I can confirm, it helps people who are in need
The Red Cross is providing emergency relief to more than 75,000 people in southern Ethiopia.
We need your help so we can carry on distributing food and seeds to those who most need them.
Please give whatever you can now. By phoning 0845 054 7206
or visiting redcross.org.uk/foodcrisis
Help us to help them.