The cycle of poverty is complex to escape.
Maraki’s* story is one of immense challenge and heartbreak. She left her homeland as a teenager to support her family and after returning years later became a single mother, with almost nothing left. She felt completely hopeless.
But that heartbreak was just a chapter in her story.
And the next page tells a different story.
A story of hope and possibility that is only possible through partnership, belief, opportunity and the generosity of Australian supporters who give so mothers like Maraki can transform their families’ lives.
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Maraki was born in Addis Ababa, but when her father died, her mother struggled to provide for her children, so when she was 16 years old, Maraki left her homeland, travelling to a foreign country to find work and support her family.
Life was difficult. She was forced to change her identity to travel. She experienced domestic violence and had to run from the police because she was working illegally.
When her mother got very sick, she returned home to be with her before she died. With the money she had saved, she covered her mother’s medical expenses and cared for her full time.
Her partner had returned to Addis Ababa with her and she became pregnant, but he left when the baby was just 15 months old. As a single mother she struggled to provide for her son. Sometimes they had nothing to eat.
When her mother died, Maraki had only a small amount of money left which she used to open a small store. But the store was robbed and Maraki lost everything.
She started selling coffee on the street, but her son was getting sick from the exposure to dust, smells and wind. Doctors told her his condition would worsen if she continued to take him with her, so she had no choice but to rely on a friend to support them.
Life seemed truly hopeless.
Maraki was selling potato chips on the street when an Act for Peace local partner, the Ethiopian Orthodox Church – Development and Inter Church Aid Commission (EOC-DICAC), selected her to join the Tesfa program.
Tesfa, which means ‘hope’ in Amharic language, was the catalyst for transformation for Maraki.
“The project supported us with monthly cash assistance [in the first year],” says Maraki. “I got trained in life skills and I also trained as a barber.”
The life skills training builds confidence and self-belief, helping participants imagine a brighter future.
“The training was provided at a time when I felt so hopeless that I would not change my life no matter how hard I worked,” explains Maraki. “The training helped me realise that I can change my life…I started to think positively and I’m on the right path.”
The holistic approach of the Tesfa program means that Maraki and other participants receive all the tools they need to build a sustainable income.
Maraki received cash support to help cover the family’s daily needs while she joined life skills and barber training. She was trained for three months in men’s hair grooming and submitted a business plan to open a men’s hair salon.
Before starting her business, she worked to gain experience. The project also provided her with equipment including a grooming chair, hair clippers and a steriliser so she had everything she needed to open her business.
Now she has stability, Maraki can imagine a more hopeful future.
“My dream is to live a better life. A better life to me is to not have to worry about being able to pay rent, being self-sufficient and not always depending on others.”
~ Maraki *
“I wish my son would not experience the pain and the suffering that I went through. I wish that his life will be better than mine. I wish for him to be like his peers, eat good food, and dress well. My wish is that he will not suffer like I did. I love my baby. He is my life.”
Today, Maraki has found a sustainable pathway out of poverty through the Tesfa program, supported by generous Australians who chose to stand alongside her.
“I don’t even know how to thank the people who support us. Australian people who supported us without knowing who we are; I cannot thank you enough. May God bless so you bless more people in need.”
Act for Peace gratefully acknowledges the support of the Australian Government through the Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP).
For more info about the Tesfa program visit: A pathway out of poverty | Act for Peace
*name changed for privacy reasons
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