No ordinary year in Ethiopia: It's a 'code red' and must be treated like one
By John Graham // 19 November 2015
On the dusty plains outside Erer in Ethiopia’s east, the rotting carcasses of cows, goats, donkeys and camels bake under the hot African sun, fodder for hungry vultures and stealthy hyenas.
Until recently 40-year-old Jama and his family called these lands home, and had done for generations.
But about a month ago Jama, his wife, mother and their 10 children made the difficult choice to sell their possessions and abandon these lands and their pastoral life. They were forced out when all but 10 of their 450 goats and cattle died from the drought.
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About the author
John Graham
John Graham is the country director for Save the Children in Ethiopia. He has been working in the country since 1997, but his first involvement with Ethiopia goes back to before the 1984 famine when he supported cross-border operations into the liberated zones in Tigray and Eritrea. In his current role he leads Save the Children's diverse programming in Ethiopia addressing education, health, food security, HIV/AIDS prevention/education and saving newborn lives.
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