The children at CarePoints around the world have some incredible moms! These women are creative, compassionate, and work long, hard hours to provide for their family. Today we are sharing the story of a single-mom named Shegitu.
Shegitu lives near Shashemene Betale CarePoint in the Oromia region of Ethiopia, which is south of Ethiopia’s capital city, Addis Ababa.
The Addis Ababa – Djibouti Railway is a major trade route re-establishing the historical “silk road.” This trade route provides access to the sea and runs through Shashemene, making it a hub for marketplace businesses. Despite how the new railway positively impacts the Shashemene community, poor sanitation and malnutrition are highly prevalent in this area.
Shegitu’s husband struggled with the weight of poverty and misused alcohol to cope. This created a fracture in their relationship and they divorced, which left Shegitu to provide for her four children by herself. With only one income, their family financially struggled, and due to their vulnerable situation, they were enrolled to participate at their local CarePoint.
When her son, Beka, joined Shashemene Betale CarePoint, he began receiving nutritional, emotional, medical, educational, and spiritual support. He is strong-willed and determined and dreams of being a pilot when he grows up.
Shegitu is a motivated woman and used her frustration at her situation as fuel to do everything she could to invest in her children’s future. She joined an income-generating activity group and began saving each week. Through this group, the CarePoint created opportunities for each member to create their own business. Shegitu received training in business management and continuous consultation and mentorship each step of the way.
She dove into this exciting opportunity and saved one dollar a week. For six months, Shegitu worked hard and continued saving. Her determination and savings grew month by month.
Her savings and seed money helped her to purchase a pregnant sheep. Within a short period of time, she sold two sheep and earned a great profit. She used her profits to rent a pot of land so she could sew seeds for added nutrition for her family and to sell for additional income. She began growing teff, which is the main ingredient of injera, a delicious Ethiopian bread that is in many traditional dishes. After four months, she harvested her teff and earned enough to purchase two lambs.
These business ventures added up to cover her children’s critical needs and monthly school fees. Shegitu says, “I want to say thanks to the Lord. Things were not easy, but with the support of the CarePoint, I am in better condition. My businesses are growing well. God bless you all.”
CarePoint staff come alongside families to equip caregivers to develop their talents and manage their finances for long-term success. Thank you for being a part of the important work of empowering moms to provide for their children. We believe in dignity not dependence, and transformation not transaction. Your investments in this crucial work are making a worldwide difference in the lives of determined people like Shegitu and her son, Beka.
