Major Relief Effort in Oromia

Responding to the current food security crisis in Ethiopia, Mohammed Al Amoudi and his family have provided, through MIDROC Ethiopia and Derba Transport, 55 truckloads of white maize, amounting to 20,000 quintals, and 20 truckloads of animal forage, amounting to over 150,000kg, to help drought victims in three of the worst affected districts of Oromia Regional State - Guji, Western Guji and Borena. This donation is part of an Ethiopians-for-Ethiopians strategy designed to encourage wider support for drought affected citizens from within the country and reduce dependence on foreign aid. The transportation costs were fully covered by using the Sheikh’s own fleet of heavy trucks to get the grain and forage quickly to where they were needed.

This is not the first of such grain donations by the Mr Al Amoudi. During past times of severe hardship, he has supported badly affected communities with donations from his agribusinesses. The latest donation was the largest in these particular districts, designed not only to relieve immediate distress but to encourage other elements in society to follow the Sheikh’s example. There has been a positive response by others to the call for support from local officials. In addition to providing emergency food and forage, Mr Al Amoudi’s agricultural firms are working to support local communities by creating sustainable and modern agricultural businesses that can serve as centres of excellence for research and technology transfer.

Update: Relief Donation Extended to Somalia Regional State

Mr Al Amoudi and his family followed up their initial relief effort with a further donation of grain and animal feed on April 29th, directed at drought victims in Ethiopia’s Somalia Regional State. This additional consignment comprised 10,000 quintals of rice, 10,000 quintals of white maize and 10,000 bales of Alfalfa animal feed at a total estimated cost of over Birr 35 million (just over $1.5m).

Regional State President Ato Abdi Mohamoud Omar referred to the donation as very significant, timely and generous and assured the donors that both the food grain and animal feed would reach to the intended communities as soon as possible. This donation was also positioned by Mr Al Amoudi’s team as a component of the Ethiopians-for-Ethiopians drought relief effort.