In the arid expanse of Degahabur in Ethiopia's Somali region, a community once ravaged by an unforgiving drought is now witnessing a glimmer of hope. Fadumo Sagal Yusuf, a 40-year-old mother of eight, is one of the beneficiaries of Oxfam’s support.
In the last couple of years, the Somali region of Ethiopia experienced one of the worst droughts in the Horn of Africa in 40 years. Despite rains in the last couple of months, the impact of the drought still felt among the community who had lost all their livelihoods
In Ethiopia alone, over 3.6 million worth of livestock had died with an estimated value of USD$600 million as a result of the to the drought.

Fadumo, like many others, had lost nearly all her livestock, leaving her family in a dire situation.
Millions had also been displaced and moved to Garawo Village, in search of urgent support such as water, food and health.
With the support from Spanish cooperation, Oxfam provided Fadumo and nearly 100 other family with cash support to buy lifesaving supplies for her family. Those most impacted such as - pregnant women, households with high numbers of dependents, the elderly without support, and people living with disabilities were prioritised.
The multi-purpose cash distribution unfolded over three rounds, with each participating household receiving a sum of 7700 birr (139.66 USD) in each round from Oxfam.
“Life was challenging before Oxfam's intervention.
There were days when we had nothing to eat, and the only income I could generate was from selling a single flask of tea. That meager income was our lifeline, enabling us to purchase food. Without it, we would have gone hungry. It was a dire situation,” said Fadumo
“I used the cash to buy food and pay off debts. Moreover, I managed to save 1000 birr (18.14 USD) in the first month and another 1000 birr (18.14 USD) in the second month. With these savings, I was able to purchase a goat, and that goat has become a lifeline, providing milk for my children,” explains Fadumo.
Across the Somali Region in southern Ethiopia, hundreds of thousands of people who have been displaced by drought and conflict are living in camps, depending on humanitarian assistance from aid agencies like Oxfam, and the government.
