A SOUTHSIDER who works for Concern Worldwide has returned to Stillorgan where she has spoken of her experiences in Ethiopia and Chad.
Marissa Ryan was in Ethiopia to examine Concern’s programmes that help build the resilience of local people to emergencies like drought and food insecurity.
The programme is funded over a four year period by Irish Aid.
“Drought and erratic rainfall are recurrent problems in the country, and we are working with communities so that they will be better prepared the next time an emergency hits,
? Marissa explained.
“When I was in Chad I was engaged in similar work. It sounds common sense, but it is very important that we build the capacity of local communities so that people are able to protect themselves when disasters strike both now and in the future.
“In both countries there are high levels of malnutrition, especially among young children. So it’s very important that we break the cycle of extreme poverty that traps people in a fight for survival from one disaster to the next.
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Marissa explained that this is achieved through providing sustainable interventions such as infant and young child feeding programmes, malaria eradication, provision of clean water and the distribution of assets such as sheep, goats, seeds and tools.
“We also run women’s micro-finance cooperatives, engage communities in bee keeping and tree planting and train the health service,
? she added.
“When people improve their livelihoods, they are better able to survive the hunger season and adapt to cope with the pressures of population growth and climate change
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Marissa’s work with Concern follows a family tradition of involvement in charity work.
Her mother, Mary Lawlor, is CEO of Front Line Defenders, which is a Non-Governmental Organisation that supports human right defenders who are at risk.
Her aunt, Sister Roberta Ryan, a member of the Columban Congregation, works in Pakistan helping people with HIV and Aids, street children and flood victims.