INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS
Akima's Story
Our home was in the east of the country, near Jijiga.
There’s me, my daughter who is 8 and my son son who is 4. I’m on my own since
my husband left but we were happy and settled in our home with my mother
living near.
Then life changed.
Tensions grew and gangs of youths have been attacking our homes and stealing all we have - some of my friends were killed. I was terrified that my children would be the next to die – so we took what we could carry and have come here to Bishoftu.
It’s hard for us. We have a room, but no blankets so we are cold at night.
I used to travel back home to Jijjiga, to some local goods from the area which I could re-sell in the market here, but there are new regulations and so these get confiscated on the road.
We get some rice and oil from the government but it is not enough. The children are
bored and hungry. My mother has now come to join us – so that’s one more mouth
to feed.
But there are good things too. Sadu my daughter has made a friend from a local
family. They play together every day and share all they have.
With JeCCDO's support we now have a new house, clean water and help with education and medicine. Life is looking better.
What we are doing......
Internally displaced persons are refugees within their own country.
This is a growing problem in Ethiopia with almost 2 million people driven from their homes. Trouble hotspots are the northern region of Tigray and the eastern border with Somalia where the conflicts over the border spill over into Ethiopia.
People like Akima are forced to flee and come to safer places. Here the government provides land for accommodation and growing food. We provide basic necessities like food and clean water. Our aim is to enable and empower new communities.
Watch a video of the Camp. There are 6000 people living in this camp. We will support 150 families in desperate need.
Building simple but solid homes Installing tanks for clean water Emergency food distribution
SUPPORT INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS
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WHY BREAKFAST CLUBS?
ALEMSHET'S STORY
Alemshet has three children - two of them, Yabsera and Absinet, are at Biruh Tesfa
school. Alemshet was working as a daily labourer - when she could find work -
and couldn't earn enough to feed the children. They had dropped out of school.
They were invited to become part of the new breakfast club. Not only were the children
given a good meal every day for ten months and all school materials provided - but Alemshet was trained and supported in setting up a small business. She tells us. "Currently I have started my own business of selling vegetables by the roadside, I am now able to support my family and I hope to have a shop and grow this small business into something more profitable.” A small business but a big change in the life of the family.
This is just one of 60 families whose lives have been changed by the Breakfast Club we set up klater year.
A new breakfast club
for Basso School
Basso Primary School is in the growing town of Debre Birhan. It has 619 pupils. Its in a poor area and many children are struggling at school because of lack of food and basic school materials. Following the success of the Biruh Tesfa club the school principal, Mr Gobaz, has started a breakfast club. He planned it for 60 children but has admitted 85! And still, he tells us, this is only about 20% of the children who need support.
So we have started feeding the children, provided uniforms and school books and have appointed a co-ordinator to visit the families and help them set up businesses.
This is now the third breakfast club we have set up - and more are on the way. Its becoming recognised and effective way of helping families out of poverty.
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Supporting Women
We encourage women to form a self-help group.
They meet each week, meet together each week,
make regular savings to build up a capital which can be
loaned out to members, and discuss and take action on matters
which cause concern. Its a simple idea but its transforming communities as more and more women are empowered to change their lives.
