Alemitu: “When I finish my education, I want to become a teacher of Himtana language”

Aberu, a 40-year-old woman residing in Resegenet Kebele, is a mother of four children; three boys and one girl. She is the head of a household that includes her elderly mother, making up a family of six. Aberu’s life has been severely impacted by economic hardships due to conflict and drought. With no other means of income or livestock and having lost her husband to the drought, she struggles to support her children’s education, provide adequate shelter, and maintain necessary hygiene, often facing immense challenges in caring for them when they fall ill.

Alemitu is a daughter of Aberu and she is a fifteen-year-old and studying eighth grade at Ziqualla district. “I am the second child in my family, with three brothers and one sister. In the morning, I fetch water, collect firewood, and at home I help my family by baking Injera (bread). I don’t go to school very often. When I go to school, I study, write, and during our free time, we discuss and study about school matters. If there is a group project, we do it.”

But behind her daily routine lies a much deeper struggle. One shaped by poverty, loss, and the harsh effects of climate change. “My mother has nothing to do. I help at home by baking Injera and making stews.Because of the drought, we have lost our food and we have not been able to get the fruits we have grown; we have to go to other villages and compelling us to seek assistance from others in nearby villages to feed our family. Our father is also no longer alive. He died when we were in exile”, Alemitu narrated.

In 2024, Aberu approached the community administration (kebele) to explain her family’s dire situation. The community administrator and others familiar with her circumstances, and Aberu informed her about support. ‘ A charity organisation called Mahibere Hiwot for Social Development (hereafter called MSD) has come to our kebele to do different tasks on child protection and prevention and to provide financial support to the most vulnerable households.” 

Aberu also learned about the recruitment process for multi-purpose cash transfer provided by the Ethiopian Joint Response project, implemented by MSD and Terre des Hommes Netherlands. 

The recruitment committee, already aware of her situation, registered her and informed her that she would receive financial support. She was then sent home and was later on selected as a project participant. 

Reflecting on the support they received, Alemitu shared: “Last year, about nine months ago, we received a grant of 21,000 birr (335 euros). A local organisation also gave us other kinds of support. With that money, we bought food and were finally able to feed our family properly. It was the first time in a long while that we didn’t go to bed hungry.” She continued, speaking with pride about her education: “I used part of the money to buy exercise books, pens, and pencils so I could continue with school. I’m now in eighth grade and happy to be attending classes regularly again.”

Later, MSD visited Aberu’s home for a post-distribution monitoring assessment. They asked her questions using a tool developed by Terre des Hommes Netherlands to track the impact of the cash support.

Before the support, I had no money at all. I couldn’t buy food for my children, and that was heartbreaking. But thanks to the cash assistance, I was able to buy food, and we no longer go hungry like before. I also used some of the money to buy hygiene materials, which helped protect my children from getting sick

Alemitu also spoke about the difficult times her family endured: “The war and the drought affected us a lot. We didn’t have enough to eat and sometimes had to beg for food. But now it’s a bit better. The support we received both the money and help from the community has made our lives easier than before.”

However, she gently added a plea for continued help: “Even now, we still need more support. We need food, clean water to drink, and clothes to wear. Life is better, but we’re not yet where we need to be.”

Alemitu looks to the future with clear ambition, a dream she shares with her friends; “When I finish my education, I want to become a teacher of Himtana language (the local language)”. Her determination highlights the significant importance of helping children reach their full potential.

*Name changed to protect the identity of the project participant. All people involved in this story gave informed consent to participate.