Women in Crisis in Tigray, Ethiopia

Imagine being 50 year old, having three children and living your life peacefully. But suddenly the peace is destroyed by war. When it came to your village you ran with your children to a safe place. After a few days things seemed to have calmed down and you return to your house to pick up some clothes and food. But on the way you are met by a soldier and he rapes you.  There is no medical help available and you decide it is better to keep quiet for the sake of your children. You carry on, you end up in a refugee camp and after a year you can't cope with it any longer and you start to look for help in the hospital. They perform an AIDS test and it turnes out that you have become positive. Your world falls apart and you become depressed, unresolved anger at the soldier who did this to you,  irritated by your children, who don't understand what is suddenly wrong with you. 

Finally you can't cope anymore and your reach out for help and are referred to the safehouse. There you get the counselling and assistance you need. Slowly you start to feel better and after three months you are ready to face the world again. You have learned to care for the needs of your children, you have been empowered in business skills. There is no way you can return to your original community but you decide to be strong and in the refugee camp you start a small retail shop. It is a new beginning which will help you to feel dignified again, to be able to look after your children and to manage your HIV status in a responsible way. 

We see you, we stand with you and we will support you to make sure that you will continue to grow your life and business.

Thank you for your assistance to the women who "lost it all" , who are survivors and are brave enough to live on in a dignified way.