Abeba Germew, the eldest of eight siblings, was born in central Ethiopia in 1984. From a young age, she was given the responsibility of caring for her siblings instead of attending school. When her father passed away, her mother remarried a man who made Abeba feel unsafe, leading her to move to Addis Ababa at 14 to live with her aunt.
With the weight of caregiving lifted, Abeba hoped to attend school in the city. Her aunt couldn’t afford to send her, however, so Abeba found work in housekeeping, waitressing, and weaving to support herself.
At 16, she met Amente Abdi at a community gathering. They shared roots from growing up in the same region and quickly formed a connection. Three years later, they were married, and soon started a family. Amente worked in construction to support them.
Abeba and Amente had five children. Their eldest, Yonas, is now 17, and their youngest, Ephrata, was born just last year. Their fourth child, Eyob, was born with a disability and is nonverbal. Finding resources to support Eyob on Amente’s modest income was challenging. As they sought help, Amente fell seriously ill and tragically passed away from liver cancer last year. His death was especially hard on their second child, Thomas, who shared a close bond with his father. Thomas became deeply withdrawn, affecting every aspect of his life, from family interaction to school participation.
In search of support, Abeba reached out to the Ethiopian government and was connected with Lelt’s community center in the Suki Mariam neighborhood of Addis Ababa. Thomas joined Lelt’s educational and recreational programs, where he received meals, tutoring, and computer training. Thomas and the entire family began working closely with our social worker to receive trauma counseling and support as they navigated the devastating loss of Amente. Over time, Thomas began to make friends, regaining confidence and social skills. Lelt also provides food rations and household essentials for the family, and Abeba is eligible to join career development workshops through our programs. With the help of Lelt’s team and community, Abeba can provide for her five children and has found a renewed source of of hope and support.
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