'We were losing hope...food is critical for us

EMBAZA Gebreamenica's father and brother were killed in a war which tore across the Ethiopian region of Tigray.

- Steph Spyro

The 14-year-old's mother is now a volunteer cook at Beati Akor primary school where she feeds hundreds of children a plate of fortified porridge every day.

Community members give the widow 1,500 bir (£20.50) for dishing out Mary's Meals.

Embaza, whose favourite subject is geography, said: "I'm very happy the school has reopened.

"We were losing hope but it's now looking good.' The UK charity Mary's Meals is feeding more than 100,000 children across over 200 schools in the drought-hit region where Embaza lives.

Generous Daily Express readers have already raised £7,500 to help the organisation continue their work as famine looms.

Traumatised