I visited Northern Ethiopia with Newstalk cameraman Luke Benson to meet the girl on this year Trocaire box, 13 year old Mahlet Ali. Most school kids only do a half day in school because they have to help their parents on the farm. There is over 90 million people living in Ethiopia and 85% of them live in rural areas.

Because of climate change it's getting harder and harder each year to have a successful crop. Trocaire with local partnerships are putting in irrigation systems so now farmers can have 3 successful crops a year which they can sell in the markets. They can become self sufficient, lifting them out of absolute poverty. I toured northern Ethiopia where war and famine 30 years ago took place resulting in up to a million people dying, Bob Geldof tried to respond with Band Aid and Live Aid.

www.trocaire.org