Millions of people in Ethiopia are in need of humanitarian support as the drought in Ethiopia intensifies.
Ethiopia is experiencing its worst drought in 50 years. The combination of the strong El Niño – a climate cycle that impacts on global weather patterns – and above average temperatures of the Indian Ocean mean that crops have failed, livestock have perished and people are facing devastating food shortages.
With the next chance of a harvest not occurring until June 2016, the Ethiopian government has estimated that 10.2 million people (more than 10 per cent of the country’s population) will require humanitarian assistance.
Islamic Relief has been working in Ethiopia since 2000. When famine struck East Africa in 2011, see image above from Somalia, Islamic Relief responded with a £22 million programme, providing food and water to tens of thousands of vulnerable people.