Zamane Abata
with son Barakat Kasa, 2.
Amalaka kebele, SNNPR region

One of my children died because we had nothing to eat at home. Today I am coming to Médecins Sans Frontières in Tunto to see if my other child can be admitted into the outreach therapeutic programme. My husband is a farmer. He grows maize and ginger. Maize is for the family; ginger is to sell. With the income of ginger sales, we normally can buy some additional maize from the market. But this year the price of ginger is very low and at the same time, the price of maize has risen and has become too expensive. It has become difficult to buy maize to feed the family. In addition, we had a serious drought here. During several months they were no rains. This is also why the price of maize has so much increased. Most of the time we used to get some maize and potatoes on the market. Today, there is maize on the market but it is just too expensive. We have received some famix from the kebele authority but now it has stopped.

Tadwos Waye, 40.
Soyame kebele, SNNPR region

I am not able to work in a field. I am hungry. I have six children and I have to find food for them. I was admitted to the Médecins Sans Frontières programme three weeks ago. I am receiving plumpy nut, oil, and CSB (note: nutritive corn and soja blend). I have nothing to eat for myself. My children are lacking food too but are not in the Médecins Sans Frontières programme. I am a farmer. I cultivate coffee, ‘ensete’, bananas, and some fruits such as mangos and papayas. But this is too little for my family, I have many children. My wife takes care of the children and normally she cooks ‘ensete’ and potatoes. The past years, you could get food from the market but this year the prices have increased. If Médecins Sans Frontières did not open its nutritional programme, a lot of people would have died. You have saved a lot of lives. The problem this year is also the lack of rains. The drought. We have got poor harvests from our land. Also, the price of fertilizers has increased: one quintal of ‘Manure’ (fertilizer) for instance is now worth up to 800 ETB (about 50 euros). I have received twice 50 kg of food aid from the government. But it was not enough, we had only food for three days. In the future, if this is the will of God, I hope my life will improve. The cash crops… the fields will get better.

Tedlech with son Aluye Takiso, 14.
Lesho kebele, SNNPR region

My son was admitted into the programme three weeks ago. Since then he has slightly gained weight. It is difficult to find food from the market. We don’t have a big piece of land. My husband is a farmer but currently he is sick. He usually grows maize, ‘ensete’, and potatoes. At home, we have no more food stock at all. If we have money, we buy food on the market. Otherwise we just don’t eat. We work for other, richer, farmers who give us some money. Before we were able to have two meals per day, but this year we don’t have enough food even to eat once a day. When we can, we have some ‘ensete’. We haven’t received any food assistance, except from the Médecins Sans Frontières programme. At home I have three other children who are older than Aluye. Only Aluye is in the Médecins Sans Frontières programme but you know, it is difficult for the whole family. I am very much worried for Aluye because he may die.