“You have literally saved 60,000 people from thirst..."

2 June 2025

A personal message of thanks from Valerie Browning, Program Director of Afar Pastoralist Development Association (APDA) to supporters of Ethiopiaid Australia. In the first half of 2025, thousands of Australians responded to a call for emergency assistance to help the people of Afar, who are suffering through a catastrophic drought and widespread malnutrition. These acute challenges are layered on top of ongoing hardships, including high inflation, conflict, and limited access to education and healthcare. In addition, the fight to end harmful traditional practices such as Female Genital Mutilation remains both ongoing and a top priority for APDA.

These are the words of thanks directly from Valerie Browning in Afar. 

Video transcript

I'm going to take this chance now because I've got an Australian visitor who's come to see us in Afar region to see what Ethiopiaid activities have been able to do.

I want to thank you all for the support you give to Ethiopiaid in Australia.

I myself am Australian. I've been here 35 years. But I wouldn't even stay here if you weren't with us and we weren't partnering together. I wouldn't because you're helping us with some of the most tricky things like stopping Female Genital Mutilation.

As a woman myself, I hate the thought of it, but actually it is stopping and actually we are out there with the community with the Woman Extension Workers and with the clan leaders and the religious leaders through Ethiopiaid are really listening and acting now to stop the practice.

I think it will happen.

We need to continue working together. We need to push on. We can't stop now we've made gains.

The other thing that is amazing for me about Ethiopiaid is that you listen to our daily needs.

I can give you an example of the way Ethiopiaid Australia has literally saved 60,000 people from thirst just very, very recently.

We couldn't find other assistance. Worldwide assistance is closing, USAID is closing, other governments bilaterally are giving less assistance.

I literally phoned up Sharon at Ethiopiaid, she sent me some of your support to stop people from dying of thirst and this is just amazing.

We've got this horrible drought and these people were going two to three days walking to get water.

Women walking,walking with camels, with donkeys, men trying to help but really desperate and worried that that those left in the house would die of thirst before they got home.

So this is totally amazing and I thank each one of you.

Thank you.