Samaritan’s Purse teams arrived with life-saving food and relief in Yakir Kebele, an area of Central Tigray, where a community of hundreds had lost hope in the face of ongoing drought.
In rural Yakir Kebele, Welday* is among hundreds of villagers who watched their land turn to dust during a drought that has persisted for months in the Kola Tembien woreda of Central Tigray.
Welday had difficulty providing for his five children as the drought stretched on in his hometown of Yakir Kebele. He was reminded that God had not forgotten him or his people as he joyfully accepted food and relief items at a Samaritan’s Purse distribution site.
Each day was a struggle to survive. The wells that had once sustained the community were now completely dry. Crops failed early in the season. Food shortages followed. Hundreds of children began suffering symptoms of acute malnutrition.
“We were doing everything we could, but it felt like nothing was enough,” Welday said. He did not expect outside help to arrive in Yakir Kebele, a hard-to-reach area with difficult terrain and ongoing security challenges.
In 2021, Samaritan’s Purse responded to the crisis in the Tigray region of northern Ethiopia, providing life-saving aid to thousands of people suffering from the war. As residents now face an ongoing drought, we are back helping in Jesus’ Name.
They feared a tragic ending to the situation. They felt like all hope was lost. The drought brought a set of new challenges to conflict-weary Tigrayans.
Then one morning, the villagers noticed a small team approaching on foot. The group was from Samaritan’s Purse, and they had walked five hours to the remote location to offer help in Jesus’ Name.
“The fact that they walked all this way just to reach us. That alone meant a lot,” Welday said. “I felt seen.”
After conducting initial assessments, our team hosted three separate distributions in a nearby town, handing out over 64 tons of food and critical aid. Families received packages of wheat, oil, pulses, and salt, as well as hygiene kits containing jerry cans, soap, water filtration systems, and water treatment kits. Over 400 children received ready-to-use supplemental food containing the vitamins and minerals essential for thriving.
After many weeks of hunger and uncertainty, children in Yakir Kebele smile again as emergency food supplies arrive.
In just a matter of days after receiving this nutritional support, Welday’s youngest child started improving. Welday and his family were finally able to breathe a sigh of relief after receiving the load of supplies.
“I felt lighter,” he said. “I knew my family would make it through this tough time.”
Restoring Hope
Samaritan’s Purse has been working in the Tigray region of northern Ethiopia since 2021 after escalating violence created a humanitarian crisis. We provided life-saving aid to nearly 300,000 people. We continue to work in the region, providing for critical needs and ongoing Biblically based care for so many Tigrayans still reeling in the wake of war.
Samaritan’s Purse has been serving in the Tigray region since 2021.
Our work includes a Biblically based trauma healing and livelihoods program for those affected by the war.
When the people of Yakir Kebele saw our teams approaching their community and watched their little ones come back to life after receiving food and water, they experienced more than just physical relief. They were reminded that God had not forgotten them and He loved them.
“Samaritan’s Purse came when we had nearly given up,” Welday shared. “Their support helped us physically, but their presence also reminded us that God still sends people to care for those in difficult places.”
Welday noticed that his community now carries a renewed sense of courage. They had endured so much hardship, but God had restored their hope.
“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful” (Hebrews 10:23).
Please join us in praying for the families in Tigray who continue to endure hardship and recover from years of conflict and loss.
*Name changed for security reasons.
