The South Ethiopia Region has long been vulnerable to natural disasters, with floods, landslides, and other hazards repeatedly disrupting lives and displacing thousands. One of the hardest-hit areas is Dasenech Woreda, a region bordering Hamer Woreda to the northeast, Nyangatom Woreda to the north, and Kenya’s Lake Turkana to the south. Home to 83,317 people, the woreda largely depends on livestock herding and flood-retreat agriculture, locally known as “Omo-Shesh,” along the Omo River. However, intensifying floods in recent years have dramatically reduced cultivable land from over 20,000 hectares to just 8,200 hectares, heightening the risks of food insecurity, malnutrition, and waterborne diseases.
In August 2024, the Omo River swelled beyond precedent, submerging 34 kebeles and 7 islands, displacing nearly 79,828 people. Croplands, pastures, schools, and health facilities were left in ruins, compounding an already dire humanitarian situation. Amidst this catastrophe, the story of Nesheremo Arkerech, a 32-year-old expectant mother from Dasenech Woreda, highlights both the struggles and the life-saving impact of timely intervention.
Nesheremo and her family of seven were forced to leave their home when the floodwaters reached their land. As pastoralists, their survival depended entirely on cattle, livestock that was swept away by the disaster. Now residing in the Gumburbur IDP camp, she faced several challenges: a lack of antenatal care (ANC), severe food insecurity, and the heightened risk of maternal and child mortality.
“I was worried for me and my child because, after being displaced, I had not received any ANC services,” she recalled.
Hope emerged when Nesheremo learned about the Mobile Health and Nutrition Team (MHNT) deployed by Doctors with Africa CUAMM in the IDP camp.
Doctors with Africa CUAMM’s mobile clinics, supported by the Ethiopia Humanitarian Fund (EHF), provide essential healthcare to 12 remote communities and 5 IDP camps where access to health services is critically limited. These clinics will offer primary healthcare, maternal and child health services, treatment for common illnesses, emergency referrals, and malnutrition screenings. They will also support community-based nutrition activities, including food demonstrations and nutritional supplementation. Integrated with local health centers, the mobile teams will strengthen disease prevention and outbreak response, ensuring life-saving care for displaced and vulnerable populations in hard-to-reach areas.
At 36 weeks pregnant, she received essential ANC services, including syphilis, HBSAG, and HCV tests. She was also given iron and folic acid supplements and received vital counseling to safeguard both her health and that of her unborn child.
For Nesheremo, this support was transformative. “After receiving care from the mobile health team, I felt reassured and hopeful,” she shared. Her test results were non-reactive, and she was scheduled for a follow-up appointment, ensuring continuity of care.
This intervention not only addressed her immediate health needs but also restored her confidence in the future. Beyond Nesheremo’s case, the MHNT’s work has been instrumental in reaching hundreds of displaced families with life-saving health and nutrition services. Their efforts have been critical in mitigating malnutrition, preventing disease outbreaks, and reducing maternal and child mortality in the region. Despite the devastation left in the wake of the floods, humanitarian organizations—including Doctors with Africa CUAMM, together with other organizations working in the area—have provided essential aid and are addressing this emergency. Cash assistance support programs are also being prepared to support affected households in rebuilding their lives and livelihoods.
Nesheremo’s experience is a reminder of the power of timely intervention. It underscores the need for sustained humanitarian efforts to not only help communities survive disasters but also empower them to thrive and give hope for their future.
