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."
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.
Help poor farmers in Lesotho to grow more potatoes.
Strengthen food security and care for the chronically ill in Malawi.
Though far from comprehensive, this collection reflects the breadth and depth of our work in more than 100 countries. Go ahead and take a look at the list below…see just how far your heart can reach.
Help poor farmers in Lesotho to grow more potatoes. Bring relief to hungry families struggling to live with massive food shortages in Afghanistan. Encourage communities in disaster-prone areas in Bangladesh to build reserves of food.
Contribute to small-business owners' support for their families in Senegal. Support schools for orphans in Cameroon. Improve education for Iraqi refugees in Jordan.
Provide education and vocational training for young people in Cameroon, to keep them away from human trafficking. Encourage real, peacebuilding dialogue between Israelis and Palestinians in the Holy Land. Help schools for children with disabilities in Vietnam. Donate to help refugee farmers return to their land in Bosnia.
Prevent infant deaths in Guinea-Bissau. Support a hospice in Guatemala. Keep children healthy in Equatorial Guinea. Construct disease-free housing in Bolivia.
Numbers of beneficiaries cited in this catalog include those who benefit from CRS projects both directly and indirectly.