Flooding Disaster in Ethiopia Prompts Survivors to Reach Out to Others
LSN-Ethiopia staff, the majority of whom are landmine survivors, donated ten percent of their August salaries to flood relief efforts in their country. Torrential rains have caused unprecedented flooding that has killed more than 600 people, displaced and stranded countless others, and destroyed tens of thousands of livelihoods.
The August floods, the worst in Ethiopia’s history, continue to swamp agricultural areas, affecting 357,000 people. Nearly 137,000 people have been forced to abandon their homes, and the situation is likely to worsen as above average rainfall continues. The rainy season in Ethiopia usually ends in October.
The Ethiopian Disaster Preparedness and Prevention Authority (DPPA) issued a global appeal for emergency funds totaling $27M to meet the needs of the country, including emergency food aid totaling 10,178 tons. Despite the appeal and fundraising efforts throughout the country, the need is still great. LSN-Ethiopia staff, eager to help others in need, made their donations to the DPPA, which used the money to purchase Famix flour, a nutritional supplement for children.
Those of us at LSN who are able-bodied are humbled by the extraordinary capacity of survivors to give to others. The staff’s generosity demonstrates how people who were once victims themselves can become empowered survivors willing and able to give back to society.
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