As hundreds of thousands of people fled to more populated areas of Tigray last fall, there were many stories of suffering and hunger. Thousands of children and nursing and pregnant mothers were increasingly at risk of malnutrition. Some families were reduced to begging for food, and many simply went days or longer without eating.
For months now, Samaritan’s Purse has been working hard to help in this dire situation, providing ongoing nutrition and feeding relief. In addition to the ready-to-use supplemental food (RUSF) items that we airlifted aboard our DC-8 aircraft earlier this year, we are also providing tens of thousands of families with a month’s worth of wheat, beans, cooking oil, and other staples.
Samaritan’s Purse Canada has deployed 15 members of the Canadian Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) to serve in this response.
If you are interested in joining our DART roster to be a part of these types of disaster responses, click here to apply.
Interrupted growing seasons and lack of access to seeds and transport—due to regional violence—have driven up food prices and caused a massive decrease in production and availability. Drought and locusts have also contributed to what has become a food crisis.
“It’s become harder and harder for these people to feed their families,” said Zachary McClelland, a member of the Samaritan’s Purse team in Tigray. “We’re here serving as the hands and feet of Christ, giving them enough food and supplies to help them support their families.”
We are helping to distribute food provided by the World Food Program to more than 250,000 people in the region where an estimated 4 million people are in need.
“We’ve seen families go from wondering where they’ll find their next meal to now experiencing the hope that peace will return to the region,” said Kristian Rosenberger, global technical advisor for food programs at Samaritan’s Purse. “The impact of these food distributions has been significant.”
Since the beginning of our response in Tigray, we have delivered more than 123 tons of relief to the region, including more than 76 tons of supplemental nutrition for more than 44,000 beneficiaries. This is in addition to other relief distributed, including more than 1,700 rolls of shelter tarp; 5,000 solar lights; and thousands of blankets. The most recent food distributions are the start of a program that will provide more than 1 million people with food supplies in the coming weeks and months.
Please continue to pray for the people of Tigray and for peace to return to that area of Ethiopia. Pray also for our staff and local national staff as we continue to provide food, medical care, shelter, and other relief to the region.
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To learn more about how Samaritan’s Purse is providing for the medical and shelter needs of these desperate families, here is our coverage of those programs:
A Shelter and a Refuge in Tigray
Bringing Medical Care to Suffering Families in Tigray
In the midst of political crisis around the world, Samaritan's Purse stands ready to meet the needs of citizens and our partners on the ground. Your gift allows us to supply basic necessities and offer emotional and spiritual support.