Kilimpe Garbicha, Superior of the Spiritans in Ethiopia, has just shared with us news of the catastrophic situation of the nomadic communities in the remote part of the country where the Spiritans have been working since 1972. These communities are currently suffering a humanitarian catastrophe.
Kilimpe shared the information and you can read more about it.
Spiritans have been working in the south East and south West of Ethiopia. They work among the nomadic communities in the remote part of the country, bordering Kenya. In the South East they work among the Borana pastoral community and in south west they work in Gamo Gofa and South Omo among the Hamer nomadic community. These communities are currently facing the sad realities of hunger and loss of livestock.
The ongoing drought across the Horn of Africa has severely affected pastoralist livelihoods and livestock production in Ethiopia, where many grazing areas have been hardest hit.
The Borana area where the Spiritans work is part of a larger region that includes Kenya, Somalia and Ethiopia. It was once home to the Borana pastoralist community, which continues to move through these lands in southern Ethiopia. This community has had government structures in place for over 500 years and, like many pastoralist cultures, its wealth was once expressed through livestock. A family may own up to 500 animals, but today their large herds and way of life have been profoundly affected and they now have to adapt to an ever-dry climate in the region.
The current situation is nothing short of catastrophic: food insecurity and malnutrition, water and pasture depletion, internally displaced people, school drop-outs, rising food prices and affected agricultural production all call for international and local assistance. Kilimpe shared this information in order to raise awareness and hopefully get some support to alleviate suffering as well as save lives.
