Ethiopia’s looming famine

(What could be preventing 120,000 malnourished children from getting the medical care that they need?) It’s the drought and rising food prices and we’re not getting the funding we need, we’ve had to cut back our operations in Ethiopia with outreach. (We just heard about the situation in China, so do massive natural disasters elsewhere hinder your ability to raise funds for Ethiopia?) It doesn’t help. Ethiopia and many other countries in sub-Saharan Africa have had these types of problems for a long time. But if a donor has to choose between helping one situation or another, they’ll choose the one with problems they can more tangibly see. (To what extent is the fighting in Ethiopia a factor in getting food to these kids?) I’m not sure it’s been a huge factor. (Can you comment on a New York Times report where the government was accused of using food as a weapon to stave children in rebel areas?) I can’t comment on that. We have an operation which relies on the cooperation of the politicians. (Is the government in a position to help?) I think the government is doing as much as they can. This is a big country and logistics are difficult and they need our help and we need the world’s help.