'Without These Animals ...'

Dr. Frewengel Semereab, manager of Mercy Corps' agriculture program in Eritrea. Photo: Amy Ellingson/Mercy Corps

The second guide on my journey was Dr. Frewengel Semereab, the manager of Mercy Corps' busy agriculture team since September 2002. An enigmatic man and philosopher, Frewengel professes a deepening admiration for existing community customs since beginning this ‘social work.'

He is increasingly impressed by the everyday courage and coping skills that already exist in community life. He never ceases to be stirred by the ability for the village to take care of its own. It has opened his eyes in a way that university and city life could not - that the wisdom of man is universal, not only for the privileged few.

Frewengel and his team make sure to visit Mercy Corps livestock project sites every 2-3 weeks - as a result, since they had just been to the area two weeks prior to our trip, he did not experience the same surprise that Angesom did after seeing his water vendors for the first time in three months.

Frewengel was very familiar with the compliments and complaints that the herders shared with me. When I asked if he knew of anything they might of held back, or forgotten to mention, he reminded me that the people of the lowlands are renown for being very open (as opposed to the people of the highlands). This was not a reserved group that might have been too stoic or shy not to mention something on their minds.

"Each animal is now precious"

Zara Ali and Mohamed Ali Omer, husband and wife, arrive together to Foro's veterinary clinic where we are conducting interviews. Although Mohamed does most of the speaking, these two are clearly a pair and she is just as knowledgeable, if not more so, than her husband about the status of their herd. Mohamed is very emphatic and eloquent during the interview. He gestures frequently with his hands circling ever wider to emphasize his point.

"We were very happy to receive Mercy Corps' supplementary feed during the dry season. Our herd increased, the animals were healthier and they sold better at the market," he said. "We have noticed a big difference between straw and halophyte feed - the animals fared much better on a more nutritious diet. We were also glad that the medicine and feed were supplied together, proving that one is not enough without the other.

"But now, the situation is worse, the drought is severe and we will lose our livelihood unless we have assistance. Our whole livelihood is dependent on the animals - if we lose them, we lose everything! We must request more help.

"I remember when I was a young, herds used to be around 300 strong, but successive droughts have decreased their size. Now we each have from 10-20 animals - and we risk losing more when we are forced to migrate long distances in search of food. Each animal now is precious.

"Because we have seen the positive results of the special feed, we would buy it for ourselves, but there is none available. We even have mangroves growing nearby, but we do not know how to use it - it is too salty for the sheep and goats. We need training on how to convert the available mangroves into nutritious feed.

"We ask that this kind of intervention continue! Assisting the animals is still assisting humanity, because we rely on these animals for our livelihood. Because of the border problems, we cannot move and the marketplace is empty. You can continue to help humanity by providing more feed for our herds."

Raising expectations

Mulugeta, Foro's ministry-appointed Agricultural Development Agent (ADA), sat quietly with us during the interviews. Being focused on the herders, I did not register his reaction to the conversations. However, when the last of the herders had left, I had a chance to ask Mulugeta what his own impressions were, both of the Mercy Corps project and his overall evaluation of the situation the herders were describing.

"I have been posted in Foro four years, but I have been an agricultural minister for fifteen. There are 15 village administrators in my district, representing 34,000 inhabitants," Mulugeta said. "It is true that the rain is late and the crops are failing in this region. But we are trying to approach different agencies and the government for support. For now, most animals are migrating - the ones who stay behind are depended on for milk and breeding, we have to at least support these animals. Without these animals, the families will not survive the dry season with their livelihood.

"There is no doubt that the people will be fed [by Mercy Corps and other programs], but the fact that Mercy Corps extends assistance to the animals is much appreciated! Without their animals, what reason have they to exist? As for the excellent coordination of the project, this should not be underestimated; everyone knew their role. This is only the beginning! Because the project involved cost-share, there is a sense of ownership and people appreciate the value of the services. Even now, there is no doubt of payment; the herders are paying their own way! The program established a system and proved that coordination and payment is possible, so we can start organizing support for the next dry season."

Later, I ask Frewengel what he will do with the feedback we got from the herders and Mulugeta. I wondered how Mercy Corps planned to respond now that we have clearly raised expectations and won the trust of the villagers we met along our way?

"Yes," he replies. "We are very aware that this short-term, emergency response was well-received, in fact maybe too well - but we are definitely applying the lessons from this project to the next round of programming. Now we know where best to focus our work, we know that the Northern Red Sea Zoba most needs our help. Our next project will focus more broadly on food security and livelihood development through enhancing animal health services and community-based projects, but the key to this program is that it is open and flexible to what the community decides it needs. Each community we work with is prepared to participate, with their labor, monetary contributions, and must importantly, with their ongoing support. I am especially looking forward to continue the search for better solutions with the herders."

Full of life and possibilities

Although it was a short trip when drawn on the calendar, it was an epic journey for me. Every day was composed of innumerable strange details, foreign concepts and new faces. I was amazed by these people so full of grace, optimism and honesty - despite their meager circumstances.

Again and again I was impressed by their eagerness to promote their livelihoods and contribute back to their communities. But overall, it was what I learned from Angesom and Frewengel that encourages me most. In these two extraordinary men, I found the Mercy Corps mission living and breathing, sweating and laughing.