Emotional Attachment to Decades of Support from the Ethiopian Red Cross Society- Tigray Region
Ato Habte G/Michael is married and a father of six. He lives in Araguara Kebele, Dergajen Tabia, Enderta Woreda, South Eastern Zone of the Tigray Region. A decade ago, he and his family were among the poorest in Deragen Tabia. ERCS, in partnership with the IFRC and other sister national societies, purchased a milk cow for ETB 13,000 for Ato Habte in 2009, enabling him and his family to lift themselves out of food insecurity.
Ato Habte was among six vulnerable households who were provided with financial support for purchasing milk cows in Deragen Tabia, under an Integrated Food Security Development (Resilience Building) project. He now owns cows, a residential home, a rental house, farming land, and a fuel-powered generator for irrigation purposes.
“The support is quite unique. Some organizations may come and give you money, but you will immediately waste that money. However, the Red Cross brings the milk cows and allows you to choose. Then you tell them your choice, and they buy for you. Only a father does such a thing to his child. A child asks his father to buy a cloth for him. Like a father, the Red Cross asked me to choose. I said, “I choose this; buy it for me,” then they bought me a milk cow accordingly. So, it is not an exaggeration to express the Red Cross as a springboard to my life,” says Ato Habte.
Like Ato Habte, 2,259 vulnerable households have sustainably improved their livelihoods in Endertaworeda, South Eastern Zone of Tigray region.
ERCS calls on governments, private sector leaders, development agencies, volunteers, and members of ERCS to stand together to scale up community-driven and climate-smart solutions to end food insecurity in Ethiopia.
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