Earlier this year, we shared with you AE Ethiopia’s vision of starting a sewing project for vulnerable women. The team identified ladies who were collecting firewood to sell in the Arba Minch area. With no other options for earning an income, these women walked vast distances every day, collecting firewood and then making their way back to the market where they can sell or going back home. Often they would be attacked and abused on their journey back and their firewood taken from them.
AE Ethiopia heard their cry for help and enrolled 15 ladies (pictured above) in their new sewing program called “Life Transformation of Vulnerable Firewood Collecting Women”. One of our partnering churches in Ethiopia has kindly offered their facilities for the program. The ladies are being trained in sewing, tailoring and embroidery for 6 months and then they will be divided into smaller work groups. AE Ethiopia wishes to equip each group with a sewing machine and help them to open a small shop where they can sell their items.
Amarach Wolka is one of the trainees in the sewing project. She has 4 children. She resorted to firewood collection after the death of her husband some 8 years ago.
She says “With firewood collection, I am really tired of life. I was eagerly waiting to the days I quit gathering firewood and engage in some other productive enterprise.
This training is like seeing light at the end of the tunnel. I am now filled with hope. I want to take the training seriously and work hard to transform my life and feed my children.”
Your support to Aid & Development Programs have enabled Ethiopia to start this program and to transform the lives of 15 vulnerable women. Thank you for your prayers, encouragement and gifts to enable life-changing transformation for these ladies.
Ben Campbell (Sydney) is the CEO Africa Enterprise.
