The 1984-1985 famine that struck Ethiopia and Eritrea was not only disastrous but unfortunate. Roughly one million Ethiopians died from results of this famine and the world watched in horror. The effects of low rainfall caused at least four Ethiopian provinces to fall short of natural resources and food. This famine was also made worse by government revenue being disbursed among the wrong people and places. In March of 2010, BBC News reported that investigators found that millions of dollars in aid were given to rebels to buy weapons to fund attempts to overthrow the government. Widespread media coverage of the crisis and the Live Aid concert of 1985 helped raise more than 60 million dollars in aid and also introduced us to Birhan Woldu.
Never seeking attention, but her fate was soon the fate of the world. Birhan Woldu became the poster child of Ethiopia solely based on her brush with death. The "miracle girl" was found in 1984 by news crews from CBC . Her family reportedly walked from their village of Tigray to Mek'ele with the hopes of finding relief in the form of aid and food. Given 15 minutes to live by the nuns at an aid center, Birhan's dad begin wrapping her in white burial cloth and begin digging a grave. In the midst of what he felt was a proper burial for his daughter he felt a pulse. Her health was restored. Birhan Woldu was alive. The image of her face became the symbol of a dying country. The fact that she lived was a symbol of hope for a dying country. Because of the rebroadcast of her story, the world began to take notice and take charge.
Birhan is alive and well. She recognizes that the world sees her as a legend and that this will always follow her. Because of this, Birhan earned a degree in nursing so that she could possibly save a life just as the nurses who saved hers did. She also studied Agriculture so that she can be able to work with poor families in an impoverished Northern Ethiopia.
Her story and the story of others who face famine are not only inspirational but informational.
Read the rest of Birhan's story...
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