Church Sends Atmit to Ethiopia

The Church sent more than 1.4 million pounds (635 tonnes) of Atmit—special food for the severely malnourished—to drought-stricken Ethiopia in late 2008.

At least 14 million Ethiopians were in need of assistance. While the crisis stemmed from a drought that destroyed the entire spring crop in some places, the country has also dealt with high food prices, a number of disasters, and a rebellion in the Somali region that disrupted food delivery.

Remembering the aid the Church provided during the 2003 famine, government officials in Ethiopia requested help. The Church sent more than 30 containers of Atmit, beginning in late August and ending in October.

As in 2003, the Church worked closely with Project Mercy, a nongovernmental relief agency with experience in Ethiopia. In close coordination with the Ethiopian government, Project Mercy oversaw the distribution of the Atmit.

Atmit is a mixture of oat flour, powdered milk, sugar, salt, vitamins, and minerals that is mixed with water and cooking oil and has proven to be a successful resource for feeding the severely malnourished.