By Blen Wendimu
In August 2024, Eco-justice Ethiopia, partnering with Serve Global Youth Volunteer Network, launched an essay competition for Ethiopian youth (age 15-29) with big ideas for a climate-just future. This is the second of three winning entries.
Hi ! I am Borena. I am one of the southern regions in Ethiopia that was extremely affected by the climate change crisis in recent years. I am well known in my country as a major source of livestock, contributing significantly to the economy of the country and by my pastoralist lifestyle. My climate is mostly arid and semi-arid, and I have faced several challenges related to water security and drought in recent decades, but none I have seen in recent years like I faced recently . Though it was not all cupcakes and rainbows before, I managed to survive because of artificial water sources, with the man-made Haroo Bakke Pond being my main lifeline.
I had two rainy seasons where I got to fill out my artificial lakes and grow grass for my cattle. However, in recent years, things have changed drastically. It has not rained for four consecutive cycles, which makes it three years since it rained.
The situation has been harsh, and it killed a lot of my livestock. I was unable to migrate to other areas; as most of our lands were in the same dried conditions. At first I thought it would be like the previous drought where I would be affected but still manage to survive by moving to other areas or neighboring regions. However, I soon discovered that all my lands were also all dried, and my neighboring countries were also facing their own problems, like the spreading of disease. I still waited though, hoping maybe it will rain and this will all be over.
I watched my livestock die one by one. My cattle were my lifeline, They were my source of food, income and secured my children's future. I would sell one cattle to send my children to school and another to buy their clothing. That was my lifestyle. Once they died, I could not feed my children. Even mothers were not able to breastfeed their newborns because they were starving.
My elderly suffered, without anyone to care for them. Most of the young people were forced to search for water and food. Some perished in this desperate search, succumbing to starvation. Even when water sources were available by aid, they were too far away, and the surviving livestock were weak and dying. At the end, 3.3 million of my loved ones died, and 0.75 million were in high need of food. As a result, many of my people required immediate healthcare, with various diseases spreading due to extreme malnutrition in children and the elderly. My people suffered.
It didn't help that I didn't have much awareness about climate change or that I did not have an alarming system to inform me that I would be exposed to this amount of challenges. The mitigation and adaptation systems were also inadequate.There was also a lack of immediate humanitarian assistance available, which resulted in the loss of many lives.
I did not know what went wrong or what I did to upset the season; my people are saying it was God's wrath. But now I understand that climate change can exacerbate fragile environments like mine, making them even more vulnerable and susceptible to disasters.I was ready for the usual casual challenges of changes, but this one was massive. The longevity and magnitude of the depth of the drought are unfamiliar to the people and my leaders.
Due to global warming, areas like mine, which receive less rain, are facing an increased risk of frequent and severe droughts. This makes us particularly vulnerable. If there isn't a mechanism to defend our environmental rights, I fear this won't be the end of the disaster. We need to act now to protect our future. We could challenge these changes by motivating individuals to advocate for climate change and raise further awareness and innovation in responses to climate change. Additionally, further structuring our policies in response to climate crises and solutions is a necessary step we need to take.
I envision a future where my young ones can speak out about our struggles, where they lead the way in finding new solutions to this crisis. We need a world that listens to our stories, and acknowledges the devastating impact of climate change. This isn't just a threat to how we live, it's a danger to our very existence as humans. We're living through the nightmare of a world out of balance, a world where the very things that keep us alive are turning against us. I dream of a world that sees us, that understands our struggles, and joins us in protecting our home, Earth. A world where we stop polluting our planet, ensuring that all people have the right and freedom to thrive.I envision a safe environment to live in for all!
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