Koons is a Silver Spring resident is the director of relief at humanitarian aid and emergency response organization International Relief and Development. When crisis strikes somewhere in the world, Koons — currently in Ethiopia — leaves immediately to lend a helping hand. What are you doing in Ethiopia?
I’m leading a team that’s responding to the Horn of Africa drought and famine. Our team is working in the Somali region of Ethiopia, which sits on the border between Ethiopia and Somalia. For several months [we have been] providing water to 30,000 people in 25 communities — anywhere between 5,000 and 10,000 liters per day. For some communities, it’s 30 miles to a river or water source. Some of our trucks are filling up at a huge well in one of the towns. Other trucks are filling up with river water, but because river water is not completely sanitary, we’re also providing water treatment chemicals.
