Support Self-Help Groups for Women in Ethiopia

Despite the difficulties presented by COVID-19, our Self-Help Groups in Ethiopia have provided vulnerable women the skills and knowledge to achieve economic stability. These women have continued saving, taking, and repaying loans to start up new local businesses and sustain themselves and their families.

In addition to economic empowerment, our Self-Help Groups have also trained and educated vulnerable women in financial literacy, trafficking, human rights, safeguarding and child protection.

The generous support from our donors makes it possible to continue the fight against modern slavery and trafficking, enabling success stories like that of Senia*, one of the thousands of women empowered through our Self-Help Groups.

Senia and her labourer husband live in Ethiopia with their four children. It was difficult to make ends meet on their income, and saving for the future was impossible.

Then one day, Senia met a Hope for Justice Community Development Worker performing their proactive outreach work. The team member told Senia about our Self-Help Groups, and how they empower members to transform their futures by offering the skills and means necessary to start their own businesses. The groups save collectively, and members take turns to receive loans, enabling them to become more self-sufficient, and reduce the future risk of trafficking for the whole family.

When she first joined the group, Senia had no money to contribute. In order to support her, the group began saving coffee beans daily, which Senia sold at the end of each week. After six months, Senia had saved money, and the group provided her first loan, with which she began to sell fruit.

In time she was able to pay back the loan, and took a second one to expand her business. With good progress and growth achieved, she paid the second loan back. The third, fourth and fifth loans allowed Senia to begin selling vegetables as well as fruit, buy a cart for her husband, and finally to rent a shop in the town.

Now a successful and well-known business owner, Senia said: “With the help of Hope for Justice, I have escaped from a hopeless life to a better and hopeful new chapter in my family’s life”.

Our Self-Help Groups in Ethiopia have continued saving, taking and repaying loans despite the pandemic. These women were empowered to provide for their families and their households’ financial needs including food, clothing, education and access to healthcare.

The generous support of our Hope for Justice donors makes it possible to continue the fight against modern slavery, enabling success stories like that of Aberash*, one of the thousands of women empowered through our Self-Help Groups

37-year-old Aberash* and her husband worked as labourers in Ethiopia to support themselves and their six children, but it was tough for them to provide, with so many mouths to feed.

But then with the support of one of Hope for Justice’s community development workers, Aberash joined one of our Self-Help Groups, which empower women through parenting and child protection, anti-trafficking and exploitation, communication and a range of other skills.

At first, Aberash lacked confidence. But through the group sessions, she learned life-changing lessons about how to form working relationships, identifying needs, saving money, and other skills vital for running a small business.

Aberash benefitted from the Self-Help Group loan system, which helps women become more financially stable. The loans allowed her to begin selling a local soft drink, and then cabbages too. She then bought a cart to help her husband with his work. Another loan, plus the profits from her business, meant she was able to buy some land upon which she is now building a home.

Thanking Hope for Justice for its support over four years, Aberash said: “I was in the dark waiting for people’s support, but Hope for Justice opened my eyes and now not only I am economically strong, but also respected in my community.”

Aberash is now paying back her loans and is looking forward to expanding her business. She also wants to help other women in a similar situation as she once was.

Through education and sensitisation to child protection issues, family strengthening via Hope for Justice’s Self-Help Group model enables greater support for those most at risk of exploitation and trafficking. The model is a long-term, sustainable solution, directed by community members’ own efforts. This approach protects against family breakdown, a major risk factor in child trafficking.

*Name changed to protect constituent identity