ach month that passed brought an increase in the num- ber of recipients.
In April, 6,800 tonnes were distributed to 518,000 people; in May, 653,000 people received close to 9,000 tonnes of food; in August distributions reached their peak, with 11,500 tonnes of relief supplies handed out to 750,000 people.
The total quantity of relief supplies distributed in 1985 was 106,000 tonnes.
In order to remedy serious malnutrition, the ICRC also stepped up its food aid to children and their mothers and opened feeding centres in Tigray and Eritrea. In January, only the Mekele centre was functioning: depending on their degree of malnutrition, 600 children were given between four and six meals a day in this centre; another centre was then opened in Axum and 270 children were immediately admitted. By the end of February five centres were operating in the province of Tigray: at Mekele, Axum, Adwa, Maychew and Mehoni.
Four other centres were opened later: two in Tigray (Idaga Hamus and Wukro) and two in Eritrea (Akordat and Ingerne). When activities were at their height, an average of 4,000 children received food aid in these centres. By the end of the year only three of them were still operational in Tigray: Axum, Adwa and Idaga. Hamus. All the others were closed as a result of an improvement in the food supply. However, the ICRC is ready to resume this programme should the need arise in any region, whether previously assisted or not.
Ethiopia (Dany Gignoux)
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BENEFICIARIES OF RELIEF DISTRIBUTIONS IN ETHIOPIA from January to December 1985
1985 J FMAM J
If it rains...
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March is the short rainy season. But it is difficult to assess the effects on agriculture, given a shifting popula- tion and the lack of seeds for planting. In March the
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