Addis Ababa (Fides Service) – “It is true that there are many emergencies in the world, but we cannot forget the 12 million Ethiopians who risk starvation” Father Cesare Bullo Salesian co-ordinator in Ethiopia tells Fides Service. The Catholic priest is the animator of a collection in aid of Ethiopia. “Help is coming thanks to efforts by the Ethiopian government, the United States and the European Union. Unfortunately however, 12 million are a lot of people and a greater effort is needed in order to help them all” says Fr Cesare.
“At last after months of drought the rains have come. But we will have to wait until October for the next harvest. In the meantime the peopel rely on international aid. This is why I ask everyone to continue to send food and medicine. In fact scarcity of food, makes peopel, old people and children in particular, more liable to contracting disease such as tuberculosis and bronchitis”.
According to the Ethiopian government and FAO, the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation, in March Ethiopia had received from international bodies only 40% of the minimum food requirements.
Missionaries are doing all they can to help those in need. Food is distributed in kindergartens, elementary school, mission centres, clinics, dispensaries, homes for street children, refugee camps, soup kitchens. LM (Fides Service 22/5/2003 EM lines 22 Words: 237)