Report on momentary visit to and Korilile towns, Danot Woreda, Warder zone,

A visit was conducted from 24-25th may to the area to reassess the food and prepare for a supplementary feeding intervention planned by Al-Nejah Charity Organization Warder and Korilie PAs.

The visit included: Vanessa, Abdulhadi and Solomon from HelpAge International and Abdulmajid and Abdurazak Sharif from Al-Nejah. Discussions were held with available government officials in Danot. Korilie and Warder towns, beneficiaries and in the case of Korilie, elders.

Summary Despite the very brief visit, it was evident that the situation in the area is still extremely poor both for the people from the areas, and those who have migrated to the town in search of water and relief. There are few cattle left, food distributions are irregular and the rations are very low. Older people are also having problems digesting the wheat grain. Health services are limited, although the Danot station is now functional and there is high incidence of malaria and measles. In addition to the planned supplementary feeding intervention, it is necessary to follow up with the DPPC the problems of general ration distributions and the RHB on the potential for measles campaign and extending health services to Korilie.

Zonal administrator, Warder The zonal Administrator, who as visiting Danot town, emphasized the lack of food for distribution and the chronic lack of water in the area. He mentioned that local and international NGO's are not active in the area and he mentioned that people have to share the problems of others. He said that there were no problems of operate in the area.

Zonal Health Bureau. The team met with the Bureau head Ato Hassen Ahmed and the head of the Warder health center.

The health enter, which is the only one in the Woreda has 5 nurses and 3 health assistants. There are also 3 health stations in Danot, Boah and and 10n health posts, which are non-functional.

The top three diseases in the zone are Malaria, Tuberculosis and Acute respiratory infection. The bureau head estimated that TB affects 60% of the people in the town, for which they have no treatment. The Danot clinic has reported 25 cases of measles and three deaths in one month.

They reported the problem of measles in Danot two months in a row to the Regional health bureau, but received no response. They currently don not do routine EPI in the center, however did do an outreach in Geladin and Boah 6 months ago.

They have 2 gas, one solar fridges in Warder and two deep freezers. They also have 1 ambulance and one-hylux cars, although these are often used for other purposes. They feel that if they were provided with vaccines, manpower costs and fuel they could carry out vaccination campaign for measles.

To solve the manpower problem of Danot clinic they are going to send one nurse to work in the clinic permanently. They are also currently training primary health care workers who will graduate after 6 months and will be sent to Korilie, Babas, Kararo and Kora Delan.

They often see cases of malnutrition particularly from around Warder and Danot.

Warder Woreda DPPB.

The head of the Woreda DPPB refused to give information about the food distributions in the area. Another member of the zonal office, who manages the distributions in Danot, did not have reliable information. Only Head of Warder woreda DPPB would talk and gave the following information. She said that the total population is 94000 and the numbers of people in needs are 58000.

Food Distribution in Warder woreda.

Month No of Amount of grain Average beneficiaries in Qts received per person October 2000 58000 5420 10.70 Kg January 2001 26000 1300 5 Kg February 2001 26000 2680 9.70 Kg

Danot woreda council secretary.

Ato Mohad provided the following information:

Danot woreda has 21 Keberles with 7 dry ration food distribution centers. The grain coming from Gode is not enough for the 7000 people now living in Danot town where 2000 are displaced people from the bush or surrounding areas.

There is spread of diseases like measles, cough and TB. There are 10 private birkas around the town, which are all empty. The nearest permanent water point is 70 Kms from the town. There is water tankering service by the government where a truck transports 12000 liters of water supposedly 2 times in 24 hours and distributes freely 15-20 liters per person. (the last delivery was the previous day and the one prior to that was days ago)

Last week 450 Qts of wheat and 300 Qts of beans were distribution to people around Danot at 7.5 Kg of wheat and 7.5 Kg of beans per person. The distribution prior to this was for 9000 people who got a double ration of 15Kg. To carry out the distribution, the arrival of food is announced and the people will gather in the distribution point and groups of 20 will be formed and for one group 300Kg will be provided and the group will share it.

Out of the 7 Pas, distributions are carried out in 4 namely Korilie, Al Mero, Danot and Lander. The distributions are overseen by a member of the Woreda DPPB who reported that 22,520 people in the Woreda were receiving 15Kg per person every month. As he had no records that he could show as he said that all the information was in Warder the interview was terminated.

They said when there is a shortage of food they distribute to the most needy. He said the area of most need was around Danot as that was where many people came from other areas and they had people as far a field as Gashamo in Dhagah bour.

Danot clinic

The clinic was opened in 1998 in small room in the kebele administration, which is serving as a store, treatment room, dispensary etc. There are two health assistants working there. On average ten people per day are being treated. There is new clinic built by the government but it is not operational because the regional health office says the construction is below standard. Apparently the clinic has been open since December (when Al-Nejah last visited) when the clinic was closed for 2 weeks while drugs were collected from warder.

8000 children vaccinated for polio 6 months ago in 5 kebeles (which seems November) the first dose and in December the second dose have been vaccinated for 8700 children. Other than this there was no injectable vaccination campaign for the last three years. they have around 35 people trained to give vaccinations in the community. They have a small solar run fridge, which showed 15degrees C and 18 degrees C on the dials.

The health assistants mentioned that the population in the town has increased due to the drought but the amount of drugs in the clinic has remained the same. Every week they find up to 20 children with Oedema and provide them with Metrodanizole and ASA, then separate cards are provided for follow up but on average 2-3 children die per week. After the distributions the number of malnourished cases they see reduces but then it increases as many people sell the distribution to buy camel milk.

On the other hand the have found 22 measles cases among the children and two young people in the last two weeks and they are afraid that it is spreading in the surrounding area. The list of patients is attached with this report inscribed by sex and age.

List of Measles cases found with in two weeks time by Danot clinic health assistants.

Name Age Sex 1. Raxma Cabelul 24 F 2. Mohammed Cabeli 3 M 3. Hodan Shuklical 20 F 4. Mahamed Cabdellicali 5 M 5. Shugrii Ahmad 4 F 6. Hamid Ahmad 5 F 7. Roda Cabdidha Gacade 5 F 8. Nahah Cabdidha Gacade 1 M 9. Liban Cabdidha Gacade 6 M 10. Sandon Cabdidha Gacade 7 M 11. Mohammed Cabdi Remer 4 M 12. Nudama 6 F 13. Sooc Cabdi Nuur 3 M 14. Badol Cabdi 5 F 15. Raxma Cabdi Nuur 6 M 16. Cumar Loorah bake 3 M 17. Badool Culi Bake 2 18. Cumar Celi Bake 3 M 19. Sheceb Mahdad Cegron 8 months F 20. Farahia Mohammed Cegron 3 F 21. ubax Cigmann 2 F

Discussion with Korillie committee (committee of elderly peopl)

A meeting was held with 11 local elders and one representative of the Kebele administration who gave the following information.

Nomads started Korilie town by digging (pond) traditional water well. There has been drought for the last three years in Korillie and the surrounding area.

According to the informants estimate, due to the drought the community has lost 80% of camel population, 85% cattle and 70% of goat and sheep. Currently there is shortage of milk due to feed shortage and the decreased number of cattle and camels. There are families who lost their whole livestock and there is no hope for them to restock. There are 2500 people who came to Korilie from surrounding areas in search of assistance.

There was no general distribution for the last 5 months and a few people have left to Danot and Warder and few others have gone back tot he bush to use and share the rest of livestock. They said tow weeks ago 600 Qts of food grain was sent from shinile and Gode and it is distribution to 5500 people by providing 10 Kg for each person. For a group of 20 people 200 Kg was provide.

In October 400 Qts was distributed or shared among 5600 people. For a group of 40 people 350 Kg was provide. There is no information on how many people or how much people got and even the administrator of the Kebele doesn't know. According to the informants half of the 5600 people got some and the others left the area. The distribution was done is such a way that the 1st distribution is for children and women and at last for men. Always there are more people that the food to be distributed. The decision of the distribution date, time, place and amount is always decided at higher levels.

Korilie is a center for distribution of 6 rural villages where 1500 people are permanent dwellers from the town, 1,500 are permanent dwellers in the surrounding areas and 2500 are internally displaced, totaling 5500. They stressed that no one from the woreda comes to monitor and have mentioned the troops (the soldiers in the army camp near to the town) as witnesses. WFP people came twice with a helicopter and have interviewed few people but there is no response at all.

Water situation

In Korilie there are 200 Birkas (we have been informed by other people that there are 350) and 60 are big ones and have still got some water while the others have dried. The last rains were in October and were very small as compared to other years. Before the drought the last rain was in December 1997. This year the rain was expected to start on 15th April and continue for the next three months. There are 6 villages in the surroundings of Korilie with different population. All these people get water from Korilie Birkas their population is listed as follows: -

Users of Korilie Birkas, Their villages and population.

No Kebele Total population 1 Mersin 2500 2 Samu 200 3 Babse 2000 4 Leherdot 1500 5 Gerwan 1000 6 Lanchilalo 500 Total 9500

Market situation.

Usually the community used to sell their animals to traders coming from , however since the livestock ban by Saudi Arabia Six months ago, the market has virtually dried up and there has been no change in prices.

Price (Birr) Live stock Male Female Camel 600.00 800.00 Cattle - 500.00 Sheep - 80.00 Goat 100.00 250.00

50 Kgs of wheat cost 115 Birr before distribution and now it has gone down to 80.00birr. The most used food grains are rice and wheat flour brought in form Somalia and exchanged for livestock (Bartering). Currently there is no more livestock trade and these food item are not available in market and if it is available the price is much higher than the former days.

Health situation.

There is no clinic, pharmacy or health personnel in the area. Malaria, Dysentery, Cough and mumps are the main diseases in the area. There is no medicine at all in the town even choloroquine and the group of elderly people have stressed that it is important to find solutions for current health problems. They believe that all theses diseases are caused due to the drought and last week they have buried 5 people, 4 children and one woman from the town. The children have been vaccinated for polio 3 months ago and they never heard of measles vaccination except during Haile Selassie.

There is little death among the remaining livestock although there is a shortage of fodder. There is no veterinary service in the area and the elderly people are optimistic that the animals can recover but the people have to get food otherwise people they will not be able to build up their livestock. There is also an increase in incidence of hyena's coming into the town, since livestock death reduced.

Problems of the old persons as realized by the community elderly committee.

The old are mostly malnourished. The old have lost all their livestock (cattle) The elderly have been left behind previously but now they will be brought to towns and are being left there. The younger family members will not back for the elderly if he does not have something for them. The general ration is distributed first for the strong and at last for the weak old people.

Interviews with beneficiaries (old persons)

Do I Mohammed, IDP Korilie.

Do I Mohammed is an old woman lost her eyesight before 2 years and has problems with her ears. She is also mentally deranged, extremely thin and is too weak to walk.

She does not know her age but she has a 63-year-old son with two wives. Do I not a permanent dweller of Korilie, she came from a place called Bannan, estimated 75 Kms during the drought, she traveled on a rented came. Now she is living in a compound with her son, his wife and 3 grandchildren in a separate and smaller thorn shelter.

The family used to have 50 camels, 200 goats and sheep with 16 cows 2 years ago and they sold 3 camels, 5 goat and sheep and now they remained with 5 camels and 2 cows. The young children are in the bush looking for feed with the remaining cattle.

When they came they were 15 households together from Bannan. They have received a jerrican and a cooking pot and it is sold to buy food. Now they have got 10Kg of wheat grain for the whole family. Do I the grand mother of the family used to eat the wheat grain but now she has stopped eating. The family has information when the next distribution is due and they have no plan for the future.

The family have received general ration before 4 months and now they received 9Kgs each before 15 days and they have no information how, where and when the food is distributed. They currently have around 15Ks left in the house. They manage to get a ration for do I even though she cannot walk to the distribution site, as the relief committee knows her. Do I rarely eats.

Osob Mohammed, IDP, Korilie.

Osob's husband died 15 years ago and during the drought her son brought her here from a 30 Km distance and then left with his four camels in the bush. She estimated that she was 65 years old but could be older.

Her female relative made the shelter for her using branches, twigs and old plastic and cloths and she also left. She prefers to stay here because she knows the people around and traveled the 30 Kms riding a rented camel. She said she did not receive the general ration for the last 4 months. The women in the settlement cook for her by making the wheat into plain injera or a plain soup, however she cannot always eat. She lives in a miserable thorn shelter.

She said some old people were left where she came from and have died.

Currently she is sick, complaining of lack of blood and weakness. There is no medication, and she won't use traditional medicine, as she is not strong enough to mange taking camel milk etc.

Mohammed Hassen Ali, (Says he is 110 years old) Danot.

Mohammed who says he is 110 years old and was an adult during the time of the mad Mullah (date??) has lived around Danot woreda for some years. he has 4 sons and 2 daughters, but currently he is living with his wife near the town with the internally displaced people. He has his own shelter made from plastic sheet and tree branches. He has three cows and one male camel with his children in the bush. The family has received 15Kg of wheat one and a half month ago and he has no food at all to last the month.

Shurkri Kalif (a woman living at the border of Danot town)

Shurkuri came from the surrounding area of Korilie and has been there for the past 12 months. Currently she is living with her husband and a child. She has receives general ration distribution 15Kg per person. The family did not receive any grain from the general ration for the past 4 months. Currently they have 10 cows, looked after by the husband in the bush. She said when the grain comes every one in the town gests it.

Simple map showing the surrounding settlement areas of Korilie with their distance from Korilie.

MARSO 20Kms

BABASE 15 Kms

LANCHELALO 35Kms Korilie SAMU 15 kms

GARONK A 25Kms

LEHERDOD 20 Kms