Feeding families, restoring lives
“A hungry person cannot sleep,” says Batula.
A farmer from Wadlahuba Kebele, Ethiopia, the 62-year-old and her family experienced the devastation of catastrophic floods in late 2023 triggered by the overflowing Ganale and Dawa rivers, which swept through her village, leaving destruction in their wake.
"We have seen floods in the history of our village, but this year’s flood was beyond our expectations,” says Batula. “None of the farmers are safe."
She also lost her home, farming tools, and crops – maize and peas – which were usually enough to sustain the family, leaving Batula and her family chronically food insecure. Her eldest son sought work doing labour, and the family relied on relatives for help, but it was not enough.
"I have not seen such hunger in my household in my life," said Batula. "If the children cry and you do not have food to provide, you will be in agony and feel devastated."
With the support of the Government of Canada through the Humanitarian Coalition, CARE Canada was able to care for the urgent needs of the community in Wadlahuba Kebele, providing families that are food insecure with multipurpose cash assistance totaling 7,855 Ethiopian Birr (approximately $87 CAD) per family, enough to meet Batula’s family food needs for two weeks.
“Food is expensive in the market,” adds Batula. “But this will support us.”
Batula’s family is not alone – approximately 1.5 million people were affected by the devastation of the floods. Agriculture ground to a halt as roads became inaccessible, cutting off access to local markets, all conditions conspiring to plunge the community into hunger. For families like Batula’s, this emergency cash assistance was not just about survival but also marked the beginning of regaining a sense of stability and control over the future.
Building on this short-term support, CARE’s initiatives like Village Savings and Loan Associations in Emergencies have started laying the groundwork in Wadlahuba Kebele so that the community can regain stability and explore further opportunities for recovery. While the road ahead remains uncertain, Batula can rebuild her future without the threat of hunger.
“We shall be relieved of hunger and able to sleep well,” says Batula.