Breaking the hurdles and leading decent life

My name is Alemitu Ferede, I am 30 years old. I was born in Western part of Ethiopia named in Benishangul Gumuz Region Metekel Zone Bulen Worda. When I was 17 years old my family forced me to get married and I give birth at the age of 18 after one year. For this reason I couldn’t go to the school. A moment after my second son was born my husband went to jail. Then after, all responsibilities become to be kept on my shoulder. That time was so much painful; I never ever forget the pains I felt and also the ups and down I come across. At that very time I didn’t know how to manage and lead my life with my poor kids. While I was suffering for such terrible life; fortunately, MULTI INTEGRATED SUPPORT/MIS/come to our village and started looking for needy and marginalized females. When I was called by kebele members and asked whether I want to be supported or not I didn’t rub my eyes to say yes.

Subsequently, I got the chance to be supported in their program. Next to this I was given many training especially on business skill, saving and credit management. When I became qualified, they organize us in a group with other 10 women and give us seed money to start sheep raring. Right away our business started showing a very promising progress. At the same time each of us started to save 40 ETB monthly. Showing our progresses, MIS again gave us ETB 20,000 additional money to enlarge our business. I, as individual got a loan of ETB 2000 and I bought two sheep. Within a year these two sheep turned out to be six and I save ETB 600 birr in our cooperative and we put in Commercial bank of Ethiopia Bullen branch.

Now, I know the benefits of saving and my saving habit is improved. Currently, without any problem I can lead my life and my two sons are attending their school and I start to repay my loan. Beside this, I am community facilitator of our kebele and I took mobile apparatus to report any harmful traditional practice (HTP) and gender based violence (GBV) incidents in our village. We had schedule discussion time (within 15 days) on Harmful Traditional (HTP) and Gender Based Violence (GBV) in our village. Before this discussion I had no information about HTP and GBV, but after this discussion I had got basic understanding about HTP and GBV. I would like to thank the organization for its continued support.