An abattoir funded by the U.S vows to help the herder communities during drought.

The Ethiopian abattoir, funded by the U.S, aims to extend support and help to the herders during drought. The slaughter house Jijiga Export is located in the Somali region of Eastern Ethiopia, amidst the local herding communities. The region is known for droughts and famine.

Fortune found its way to the slaughterhouse, when Chief of U.S Aid Mr. Mark Green halted there, during his visit on Wednesday to examine the after effects of drought on the local communities of the region. Some of the areas are on the brink of facing famine. The slaughter house is responsible for supporting the families as it buys goats, cows, camels, and sheep from the herders. It also provides the employment opportunities for the local communities as it employs 100 people from local villages.

A loan of $1.5 million from Feed the Future served as a much needed support in buying the refrigerators and trucks for the abattoir. Feed the Future, launched in the year 2010 during the presidency of Barack Obama in the United States, is a robust $1 billion-a-year agricultural program.

During his visit at the abattoir, Green said that the proposed budget cuts in the USAID’s budget by the Trump administration doesn’t affect the program.  He further said that investments like Jijinga slaughterhouse are crucial for combating with poverty.

While at the abattoir, Green announced 12 countries that would benefit from Feed The Future investments, signalling that the program would survive despite proposed deep cuts to USAID’s budget by the Trump administration. The 12 countries, down from 19 in anticipation of budget cuts next fiscal year, are Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guatemala, Honduras, Kenya, Mali, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal and Uganda.

Green said investments like the Jijinga slaughterhouse not only created markets for American businesses but helped communities out of poverty. Herders can earn as much as $80 per goat when they sell to the slaughterhouse.