As a pastoralist, Anfac’s main source of income and food for her family came from raising healthy livestock. However, three consecutive years of drought in Ethiopia completely upended her life, causing all of her livestock to perish and leaving her family without any food to eat. 

“We were just pastoralists, and now we have nothing to live on,” says Anfac.

In East Africa, which is heavily dependent on agro-pastoral activities, the prolonged and severe drought has decimated livelihoods. 6.8 million livestock have died in Ethiopia alone, forcing people like Anfac and her family to leave their homes and seek food assistance. 

Anfac and her family’s journey from the countryside to the Burdhubo camp for internally displaced people was difficult because they no longer had any livestock to help carry their belongings, as was customary in the past.

Anfac is a pastoralist, who was forced to leave her home after all of her livestock perished. Over 40 million people have been affected by the prolonged drought in the East Africa region.
Anfac is a pastoralist, who was forced to leave her home after all of her livestock perished. Over 40 million people have been affected by the prolonged drought in the East Africa region.
Photo: Maheder Haileselassie for the IRC

“When you are moving from the countryside, you usually have donkeys or camels to carry your things, but since they all died, we did not have the means to carry our things,” Anfac explains. “We carried everything by ourselves… We went back and forth and through a lot of suffering, we eventually brought our things [to Burdhubo camp].”

Guled, 29, is a distribution officer with the IRC. With the EU’s support, the IRC is able to provide emergency food aid and other basic supplies to Ethiopian communities that have been affected by drought, flooding, food insecurity, and conflict.
Guled, 29, is a distribution officer with the IRC. With the EU’s support, the IRC is able to provide emergency food aid and other basic supplies to Ethiopian communities that have been affected by drought, flooding, food insecurity, and conflict.
Photo: Maheder Haileselassie for the IRC

Climatic shocks, food insecurity, and conflict have all driven displacement in Ethiopia. At Burdhubo camp, Anfac discovered there were many people who were affected by the drought and experiencing hunger. She’s been grateful for the critical support they’ve received from the IRC, with funding from the European Union (EU).

Like Anfac, the majority of people at the Burdhubo camp need support accessing food and meeting their basic needs. Amina, a mother of nine, receives a dignity kit that includes soap and hygiene products for women and girls.
Like Anfac, the majority of people at the Burdhubo camp need support accessing food and meeting their basic needs. Amina, a mother of nine, receives a dignity kit that includes soap and hygiene products for women and girls.
Photo: Maheder Haileselassie for the IRC

 

Together with the EU, the IRC is providing emergency assistance to drought-affected individuals and families, so they have the basic items to survive and regain control of their lives. In addition to healthcare and clean water, IRC teams on the ground are distributing items like temporary shelter materials, blankets and sleeping mats, cookware sets, hygiene kits, and dignity kits for women and girls.

In addition, the people at the camp are receiving cash assistance, so they can buy their own food. As a secondary objective, the cash relief also allows pastoralists like Anfac to explore the possibility of resuming their agricultural practices.

“For now, what we need most urgently is food,” Anfac says. “Another thing we need is access to healthcare. There is a disease outbreak here, and we don’t have any money to buy medication.”
“For now, what we need most urgently is food,” Anfac says. “Another thing we need is access to healthcare. There is a disease outbreak here, and we don’t have any money to buy medication.”
Photo: Photo: Maheder Haileselassie for the IRC

As Anfac looks to the future, she hopes she and her family will be able to rebuild their lives and relocate to a place where her children can go to school. “We need to leave this place and go somewhere with access to education so that our children can be educated,” she shares. We need help with all of that.”

About our work with the European Union

The International Rescue Committee partners with the European Union to provide life-saving support to people caught in conflict and disasters around the world. Our work funded by the EU enables people to survive, recover and rebuild their lives.