Ethiopia
Ethiopia is a landlocked country located in the horn of Africa that is heavily reliant on agriculture. Coffee exports are vital to the nation’s prosperity. But the climate, which veers between long, dry periods and sudden heavy rain, makes it difficult to make a living from the land and harvests often fail. This can create a vicious circle as food prices rise and families are forced to sell livestock, often at reduced rates due to oversupply, in order to survive. Malnutrition in children is a real problem, making them prone to the spread of disease. Almost 80 per cent of the population does not have access to clean drinking water and 2.4 per cent live with HIV or AIDS. Over half a million children have been orphaned as a result of the disease. World Vision worldwide currently operates through 68 Area Development Programmes (ADPs) and also runs a number of shorter-term special projects throughout the country.
