Ethiopians in need of help amid worst drought in 50 years, Winnipegger says

Drought and widespread famine are leaving Ethiopian farmers in the dust and countless others starving across the country, a Winnipegger from Ethiopia says.

Ethiopia is facing its worst drought in half a century, Save the Children warnedahead of a meeting of world leaders in Januaryfor the 26th African Union Summit in Addis Ababa.

The drought, brought on bythe El Nino phenomenon, started in June 2015. WinnipeggerDesta Worku Negate says it reminds herof a similar drought about 30 years ago.

She witnessed how dry conditionsthrew her native country of Ethiopia into a famine crisis in the 1980s. She now fears for the fate of family members who remain in Ethiopia, as history appears to berepeating itself.

"I can't forget it,"Negate says, addingshe still has a lot of bad memories from that time.

• Ethiopia faces worst drought in 50 years, UN warns

As was the case then,the source of the current famine is alsodrought.

"I was there last year, we [didn't] have any rain," she says. "People are worried. More than politics, more than anything they are worried[because] they don't have rain."

To make matters worse, hopefor a massive downpour are dimming by day, as the country is now in the midst of its dry season, Negate says.

"Especially now, it's very hot," she says, adding farmers are growing increasingly wary of the health of their crops.

"This year, they don't have anything," she said. "We can't fight with natural [causes]."

During past droughts, Negate says some people in the country wouldmove from drought-stricken towns and villages in search of water. But that can leadto crowding issues, Negate says.

"If everybody from Calgary, from Ontario was coming here, it would be very tight. That's the big problem we have," she said. "I am very worried."

She plans to visit her children in Ethiopia this summer.

"I know they are scared," she said. "They need help."

In December 2015, the Canadian government announced a roughly $30-million commitment to help those affected by the current drought in Ethiopia.