 He had to go far from home to find this much wood and he would have been struggling through the heat of the day, and on rocky pathways through the plains.
More... Of all the jobs I saw children doing, this is the one job that I would have enjoyed doing. The boys sell water to households around town. They wander through the main and back streets of town with their barrel of water strapped on a donkey cart calling out to neighbours. More... These girls have already started their day collecting wheelbarrows full of gravel for the family. It could be sold or collected for family use. More... The shoe shine boy walks around town with an empty paint can containing his brush, shoe polish and rags. More... But life in town was very difficult and many lost their lives and livelihood because of the prolonged drought. More... In a community with a collapsing economy, housing is amount the last things a family will spend money on- the need for food and water take priority. More... For people in Gode and the surrounding area, families were vulnerable due to extreme poverty. More... Rakoop lives in Gode and has five children. They received emergency food provisions from SOS. More... This is the most disturbing story I encountered – while SOS had provided her a great service, she had clearly paid a high price over the years from malnourishment, illness, hunger and thirst – this woman is only 60 years old – 2 years older than me.
More... Hungry people from the surrounding community would arrive at the SOS children`s village gate asking for food. More... The SOS school is better equipped and it is considered a higher standard of teaching by most including playground featuring stimulating maps and drawings. More...School plays a bit part in the life of a child in the village, unlike many poor children in town who do not have the privilege of school. More... The evening I visited, they looked like typical children – snuggled up together on the porch mat. More... The auntie is there to assist the mother in any way she sees fit. She takes over for the mother on her one day off per week and fills in when she is sick or has personal business to attend to.
More... This mother was born in a small village not far from Gode and was happy to become an SOS mother not long after she arrived. Since she has no family, husband or children of her own, she feels like this is her her family.
 All of a sudden the sounds come to an end and the streets are empty again as they all head home for their meal. It reminds me of long summer days in Canada More...Midday break is longer here than in Canada – with good reason. The sun is hot and the children enjoy a cool rest at home, do chores or study. More... The mother makes them breakfast, then lines them up to check if they are ready for school.  From the moment the vehicle approaches the village you can see that those within have a different experience of the drought than those living in town. More... Even though the water is not clean, there is a pumping station to service the irrigation pumps
 It`s also easy to see why the water turns brown – it runs off the baked ground where neither grass nor crops can grow. The fertile topsoil flows freely downstream.
 In a farming community, soil and sand deposited in an irrigation canal does not melt. If not shovelled out in a timely basis it piles up. More... People who live in the surrounding farming communities suffer in the day from terrible heat, but still they cover their houses in plastic to keep the dust out.
More...Not many Canadians remember the great dustbowl of the 1930s in the prairies. To see the ravages of drought is amazing even if the rains have started and taken the brittle edge off the terrain.
More... 02/12/2011 - Even though the children are playing in the water, floating anything they can get their hands on, some homes have suffered damage because of the strong rain. More... 01/12/2011 - Within days of water falling on parched soil, delicate strands of grass push through the hardened soil, forming small carpets of emerald green. More... 28/11/2011 - In an area where rains are scarce – in this case, two years in a row- there is no need to construct or maintain sidewalks, drainage ditches or sewers More... 28/11/2011 - Kids play enthusiastically in small pools encased in potholes. Floating objects provide hours of entertainment and naked children splash through the copper coloured water. And some potholes are big enough for them to swim and cool off in the afternoon sun. More...28/11/2011 - Leaving green Addis Ababa in the highlands and flying towards Dire Dawa on the first leg of our journey provided a stark contrast. I see the wrinkled skin of bald mountains More... 25/11/2011 - SOS plays a respected role in the community. Not only did they help those in need, Mustafa is called upon to play a mediation role in disputes or provide sage advice to the community.
More... 24/11/2011 - SOS is making a huge difference in the lives of the community. Both through the village for the children who live there, but also for those in the community of Gode. More... 23/11/2011 - In spite of the long period without rain in Gode sees a lot of hope for the future. They have a long history of water and food shortages or political uncertainty More... |