Latest News

Preventing famine in the Horn of Africa

But people have more power than you might think. The drought and subsequent famine that has hit the Horn of Africa may not have been preventable, but the starvation that has occurred as a result might have been avoided if the communities were stronger at the outset. Thousands of lives can be saved in disaster situations by building stronger communities that are prepared for the worst. Giving people the tools to support and prepare themselves can even help to avoid disaster in the first place.

That's why CHF is currently working on long-term solutions to make communities more resilient. In Ethiopia, CHF is helping rural farmers through the Benishangul Gumuz Food Security and Economic Growth Project, so they can grow more food and diversify their sources of income with new things to sell like honey, incense and bamboo. By collaborating closely with the community we are introducing new farming techniques and tools which make it easier for farmers to harvest bigger crops on the same piece of land.

Once the harvest is in we are helping people living in Benishangul Gumuz to sell their goods so they can translate that into additional income. These funds can then be used to get children into school, or to buy extra fruits and vegetables to improve family nutrition. CHF is also collaborating with local organizations to make them stronger, so that when CHF leaves, the progress can continue.

The Benishangul Gumuz region isn't being directly affected by the current famine the way some areas in the Horn of Africa have been. But by making communities stronger, CHF is ensuring that if disaster strikes in the future, people will be better able to survive and rebuild in its wake.