A lifeline for people fleeing conflict

Ethiopia, Matema. Abdi, who is Ethiopian, went to Sudan for work nearly two decades ago. He and his wife made a decent living, saving what they could and sending money back home to Ethiopia to help the extended family.

The war in Sudan forced him to flee to Ethiopia for safety. It was never the plan. Abdi was forced to give money to armed men who raided his neighbourhood. When he was not able to give more, they shot him in the leg, leaving him bleeding on the floor while his wife was locked in another room.

When his neighbours came to help and get him to a hospital, he initially resisted having surgery. “I did not come and work for years in Sudan to go home amputated. If I lose a leg, it will have to be in Ethiopia,” he recalls thinking to himself.

Despite this hope, Abdi did have an initial operation in Sudan. He was unable to walk, though, when he returned to Ethiopia, arriving at the crowded Matema border crossing.

Funding from CERF and others helped IOM manage the Metema Migration Response Center at the border with Sudan. It means that vulnerable people like Abdi were not left stranded at the border and could immediately receive the help they needed to return home or relocate to another safe place.

Abdi was referred to Gonder General Hospital, where he was able to correct his surgery and get access to mobility aids so he could start walking.

CERF funding also helped WHO buy and distribute much-needed medical supplies and medicines – especially for malaria – at the entry points of Metema and Kurmuk, to prevent the spread of disease among people displaced by the conflict and facing dire hardship.

Ethiopia hosts over 942,000 refugees in 24 camps, making it the third largest refugee-hosting country in Africa.

CERF funding supported WASH, cash, and health assistance. Cholera kits and other essential medical supplies helped host communities and Sudanese refugees, as well as returnees like Abdi, stay healthy.

Posted November 2024

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Based on an original story from IOM Ethiopia (published April 2024)