A story about Abdu Ahamed
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(15 Feb 2012) Poverty is one of the main underlying causes of malnutrition. For many families, their children become malnourished and stunted not because there is no nutritious food available, but because they cannot afford to buy it. Save the Children together with the Ethiopian government developed Productive Safety Net Programme (PSNP) – which provides monthly food rations in return for 5 days work in activities such as repair and maintenance of school and health facilities as well as construction of public water and hygiene facilities that provides a safety net during hard times. Here is Abdu Ahamed’s story. Abdu Ahamed, 17, lives in Bulbula village, Afar region, Ethiopia. He told us :“It was bad here a few years ago [before PSNP] – our clan assessed how bad it is likely to be and whether or not we would migrate. At one point we were chopping down trees to feed cattle leaves from the tops. We send people to different areas to assess how bad the drought was there, and whether we should all move” |
 Abdu Ahamed, 17, go to school in the mornings and then herd the goats and cattle for his family everyday Cat Carter/Save the Children |
 Father Abdu Hida is attending the Pastoral Field School (Cat Carter/Save the Children) |
“My family do receive PSNP. At the moment we are able to use any money we have to look after the animals, so that they can breed and we can make more money. Because of the drought reserves and the food given to us by Save the Children/PSNP we have not needed to move for a few years. Sometimes the men go alone with animals, and the women stay here.” “I am worried if it stopped we would not have enough to eat.”added Abdu Ahamed. You can help us reach vulnerable children before it’s too late ! |
