Borena - life saving work in Teltele

The GPDI project is helping Sarite recover from drought (Photo: SCIAF)

The Joint Ethiopia Programme* is helping to fund drought recovery in Sarite Village

The Gayo Pastoralists Development Initiative (GPDI) is a project being delivered in Sarite, situated in the Teltele district of Borena. The inception of the programme occurred after the drought caused by the shortage of rain in October 2010.

The aims of this recovery project are to support communities impacted by drought to help themselves recover from the severe issues they have suffered. This will be delivered in a range of ways including the following key areas:

Around 1200 families who have been suffering the devastating impacts of drought are benefiting from the recovery project in Teltele. Dide Doyo told us how his "family wouldn't have been alive today" without the project.

Dide Doyo says the project has meant a future (Photo: SCIAF)

Dide Doyo

Dide Doyo (30) is a dad of two. His family has been left utterly devastated by the drought. Dide explains:

"I had eight cattle last year, and when the drought hit my village, I went to Hamar looking for grazing, it took me three days to get there. One of my cattle died two days after we got there. One was pregnant and died the following day. Seven of them died one after the other. It was not easy to get grass even in Hamar. Once I fell down the hill while trying to cut grass to feed my cattle, but I could not save them.

"I came back and started work on pond rehabilitation with GPDI. It’s been five months now since I started working here.

“I am able to buy food because of the work. I bought two goats, but I sold them to take my wife and kid to clinic as they had malaria. They are not feeling too good at the moment as well.
“Currently it takes six hours to water the animals and the women travel four hours to get water. When the work is completed, we will be able to get water nearby.

“When my cattle died one after the other, I deeply got hurt, but a man cannot get mad at God. There is nothing I could do, but I will do this labour work and take care of my wife and children. I want to change this life to better one. I will sell my cow and start petty trade.

“If it were not for the emergency project, my family wouldn’t have been alive today.“

This emergency project is providing an opportunity for Dide to provide for his family again and look to the future. If you would like to support our the Horn and East of Africa Emergency Appeal please give what you can today or by calling 0141 354 5555.

*CAFOD, SCIAF and Trócaire (CST) represent the official relief and development agencies of the Catholic Church in England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland. In Ethiopia, the three agencies work in collaboration on a single programme

SCIAF

Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund

Borena - life saving work in Teltele