Support Self-Help Groups for Women in Ethiopia

Hope for Justice has continued to support thousands of vulnerable and disadvantaged women in Ethiopia through our Self-Help Groups to ensure they build economic capacity and prevent child exploitation.

The below story comes from one of our Ethiopia Self-help Groups, consisting of mothers with children previously lost to trafficking. Here, they take ownership of their economic situation and raise awareness about trafficking risks to avoid children being exploited for forced labour:

Abeba (Amharic for ‘flower’) was founded in August 2021. There are 20 women in the group, mothers of 35-55 years old, all with at least two children. A participant said of the group’s formation: “We learned about an organisation that assists economically disadvantaged women in becoming economically independent before the formation of our group. We later discovered that the organisation is Hope for Justice. We asked if we could be a part of the group and they assessed our individual capacity and interest with our inclusive participation. We later founded the group with Hope for Justice.” Self-Help Groups in Ethiopia

Before forming the group, all members worked in petty trading: selling produce, including fruits and vegetables, on a small scale. The money they made was barely enough for one meal a day. Despite the fact that their husbands support them with living expenses, they were unable to provide for their children’s basic needs. It was a constant struggle for them to feed their kids. Five of the mothers in the group sent their older child to Addis Ababa in order to make money – a common response to economic hardship and one that routinely results in forced labour and child trafficking. Their children would send them their monthly income after working as domestic workers and day laborers. As regrettable as this was, the mothers say they were left with no choice. 

Since forming, Abeba has provided training to its members on saving money, the risks of human trafficking and modern slavery, and growing a business. The lessons learned have allowed its members to take greater ownership of their economic situation, empowering them as people and as mothers. Hope for Justice have worked with the five mothers whose children were trafficked to Addis Ababa, who have now been returned to their families. The group has enabled these mothers to speak about their experiences with trafficking together, allowing them to take ownership of this disempowering situation through communication and expression. As part of the work of the group, the five mothers have recently invested in a cow calf to be able to sell dairy products. This has allowed them to increase their income and better cater for their children’s needs along with their husband’s income.  

Hope for Justice Project Manager Selamu Yigezu said: “We advise women to protect their children from trafficking and exploitation and to join self-help groups. Doing so will help them gain more independence and ownership in the future. We encourage husbands to support their wives’ involvement in these community activities.” 

Hope for Justice would like to thank all our generous donors for supporting our mission to eradicate human trafficking and protect the rights of survivors. Last year, we reached 199,894 people across the globe – the most we have ever supported.

The generosity of our donors has enabled Hope for Justice to support thousands of vulnerable and disadvantaged women in Ethiopia through our Self-Help Groups. Since poverty is a root cause of human trafficking, our Self-Help Groups have economically empowered and equipped these women with the knowledge and tools they need to provide for their families and protect themselves and their children from exploitation.

The women learned small business and financial management skills and how to save money and take and repay loans. They also had the chance to share their ideas, skills and resources, and come up with solutions for their social and economic problems. Often, when a woman is struggling to tackle a problem by herself, our team have noted that she is usually more than capable of overcoming it when she joins hands with other women.

Dereje Zeleke, Ethiopia Country Director at Hope for Justice, said: “Our 452 Ethiopian Self- Help Groups meet regularly, providing 9,000 women with a support network in their own community that allows them to build their economic, social and emotional strength. Together, the women realise their potential.”

Indeed, our Self-Help Groups have been vital in ensuring that women who were struggling to meet the needs of their many children could find a more prosperous future for themselves and their families:

“I am very confident that my children will continue their education and be protected from exploitation and trafficking.” – Addisie*, Self-Help Group member

“How could I survive, and even thrive as I am now, unless this Self-Help Group had been started in my area?” – Nehimia*, Self-Help Group member

“The Self-Help Group is helping me to fulfil my children’s needs. With this support, I am hopeful that my dreams will come true in the near future.” – Meselech*, Self-Help Group member

*Names changed to protect the identities of our beneficiaries