Providing a basic education for 120 women in Kecho

Dinkinesh is a 48 year old women who lives in Kecho with her husband, Gabisa, and 5 of her 7 children. A year ago they were using unprotected water for home consumption.  They were also sharing their home with animals. Dinkinesh said, ”We experienced poor personal hygiene, drinking and washing with polluted water. As a result, we suffered from waterborne diseases and eye infections.”

Since HOPE International Development Agency implemented a Water, Sanitation and Hygiene project in Kecho 15 months ago, Dinkinesh Bola is one of many who has benefitted.

 "Since HOPE implemented the project, we access clean water for our home consumption.  We received education on sanitation and hygiene and women have been organized in SHGs. Now, to maintain our personal hygiene, we have separated our home from animals and constructed our own pit latrine from locally available materials,” Dinkinesh adds.  

“We have also constructed drying bed and shelves for home utensils in our home. We always wash the utensils properly, washing our hands before meals and keep our children clean. As a result, we have faced no waterborne disease and eye infections at all in the past year. Now, our expenses for medication has decreased dramatically, instead of paying so much of our little to health institutions, we are purchasing clothes for our children and some additional home utensils. I have also purchased 3 hybrid chickens each for 50.00 ETB. In addition, I am a member of Yekicho Anbessa SHG and saving Ethiopian Birr 4.00/week and 1.00/week for social fund.”   

Life has changed dramatically for Dinkinesh as well as for the other women in her community.  They are watching their children go to school and bring home stories of their learning, whilst the parents are starting to see an improvement in their quality of life as they have more time to commit to earning money.

There are concerns, however, that with a 5% illiteracy rate among adult women, these improvements are limited. They still lack a basic education that allows them to be innovative with income generating activities and cannot keep records of their earnings.  This also leaves them lacking confidence and unable to speak out for themselves.  With an increased investment in functional literacy for these women, their present improvements will be more certain and there will be potential for continued economic growth for years to come.

Please consider investing in Kecho's long-term future.