Back to the 1980s - Ethiopian Famine

Photo by Liz Martin on Unsplash

Today's post is a sad chapter of world affairs in the 1980s: the Ethiopian famine.

Drought and hunger were sadly not new to parts of Africa, including Ethiopia. What made the mid-1980s famine stand out was the combination of prolonged drought, ongoing civil war, and government policies that prevented people from moving, trading, or receiving help.

While aid organizations had already been working in the region, the intense media coverage in 1984 finally pushed the crisis into public consciousness. A sense of urgency translated into large-scale humanitarian action across the West, including massive food aid, emergency medical care, expanded NGO operations, and fast-tracked government and UN involvement.

The humanitarian response saved many lives, but it wasn’t perfect. In some cases, food shipments piled up (and perished) in ports or warehouses because roads and local infrastructure were insufficient, while people further inland were still starving. Aid also had to pass through government-controlled channels, which sometimes delayed or diverted it, showing that delivering help in a crisis is as much about logistics and politics as it is about resources.

By the mid-1980s, every kid seemed to know that “people, especially children, are starving in Africa”; a phrase that shaped how the world saw famine. But what made this moment different was the global cultural response.

In 1984, Irish musician Bob Geldof and British singer Midge Ure read about the famine on the BBC and were shocked. They decided to record a charity single to raise money: Do They Know It’s Christmas? The song featured a who’s-who of British and Irish pop stars at the time: Bono, Sting, Paul Young, and sold millions. The proceeds went directly to famine relief and inspired a broader awareness of the crisis.

Following the success of Band Aid, American musicians wanted to do something similar. In 1985, USA for Africa was formed, bringing together 45 top artists. They recorded We Are the World, which became an instant global hit. Beyond raising millions of dollars for food and aid in Ethiopia, the song cemented the idea that celebrity-led charity could mobilize mass action across borders.

Behind the scenes, USA for Africa was far less polished than the finished song suggests. The idea for an American response to Band Aid was initiated by Harry Belafonte, who reportedly called Lionel Richie and said, only half-jokingly: “There are white folks saving Black folks, but we don’t have any Black folks saving Black folks. What are we going to do about that?” Richie immediately reached out to Quincy Jones, and from there the calls went out to Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, and dozens of others.

Not everything went smoothly. At one point, a manager representing several rock artists threatened to pull them out, complaining that “the rockers didn’t like the song” and didn’t want to stand next to the non-rockers. When this reached Bruce Springsteen, he reportedly shrugged it off: “I didn’t come here for that. I came here to save lives.” He stayed, and so did the others. Even Bob Dylan, not exactly known for punctuality, surprised everyone by being among the first to arrive.

Decades later, after Michael Jackson’s death in 2009, an Ethiopian man shared a story that put all of this into perspective. During the famine in Addis Ababa, he said, food aid arrived in the form of wheat flour that was unfamiliar to locals. They baked a special bread from it; softer and different from what they knew, and people began calling it “Michael Bread.” Anyone who lived in Addis Ababa at the time, he said, remembers it. When you’ve lived through hunger, you don’t forget the taste of survival.

The media coverage had already made the crisis visible and urgent. People felt emotionally connected when their favorite musicians sang about it, and buying a record felt like a way to personally help without leaving home.

For those willing to leave home, the cause became a pilgrimage: tens of thousands of fans and music lovers flocked to London's Wembley Stadium in July 1985 for Live Aid, the massive benefit concert that brought Band Aid and USA for Africa to the stage together. It was a historic moment of global solidarity, with music literally filling the stadium and broadcasting hope to the world.

Sadly, Ethiopia has faced more crises since the 1980s. Starting in 2018–2020, the conflict in Tigray escalated into a brutal war with widespread atrocities and famine-like conditions, displacing millions. Today, Ethiopia remains politically and ethnically fragmented, with food insecurity, internal displacement, and regional tensions still affecting millions, even as some areas see economic recovery and development.

We are still reminded that a lot needs to be done in Ethiopia. There are roughly 7,400 people of Ethiopian origin living in Switzerland, and while we’re a small country, there are more in Sweden, Germany, the UK, and France. These populations are still relatively small compared with the U.S. or Israel.

If you want to help, you don’t always have to rely on big organizations, where overhead and administration can absorb up to 30% of donations. Smaller NGOs, local projects, or even direct cash-transfer programs can put resources straight into the hands of families and communities. 

Beyond donations, everyday choices can also help: buying Ethiopian coffee through fair-trade or reputable retailers supports farmers and communities. 

When you think about crises like the Ethiopian famine, what do you feel is the most meaningful way to make a difference today?