Thanks to Those Who Support Us to Change Our Life

Photo by David Snyder/CRS

BORA WOREDA, Ethiopia—Fitala Kena and his wife, Beksa Benga, have seven children. During the 2003 drought in Ethiopia, Fitala's children were forced to drop out of school. In order to support the family, Fitala began working as a daily laborer.

Since 2004, Fitala and his family have benefited from an agriculture program supported by Catholic Relief Services Ethiopia. Fitala became one of the beneficiaries of a small-scale irrigation system and became a pump operator.

Through the project, Fitala was able to raise more crops and increase his income. He even had money to buy three oxen to plow the land to grow more crops. Now he and his family have a new home, and he is able to pay for his children to attend school.

Fitala has a message to others. He and his family are very happy and advise other farmers to work hard for change. He expressed his gratitude, "Thanks to those who support us to change our life."

Rift Valley Integrated Watershed Management

The central Rift Valley of Ethiopia is one of the most drought-prone areas in the country. Most farmers in the region struggle to grow enough food to last their families a few months. They often have no access to adequate and safe drinking water. CRS Ethiopia is working with our partner, the Ethiopian Catholic Church-Social Development Coordinating Office of Meki, to help farmers through the Rift Valley Integrated Watershed Management project.