A Mother’s Strength Amid Loss and Conflict

Like many mothers in Axum, Tigray, Desta lived through one of the darkest chapters of her life during the war. The conflict took away her husband, the family’s sole breadwinner, and with him, the sense of stability she once knew. Overnight, Desta found herself grieving, traumatized by war, and solely responsible for raising three children. 

“I had lost my partner, my support, and my sense of peace,” she recalls.  

With children in grade 10, 6, and 2, Desta struggled to hold her family together while coping with loss and uncertainty. The emotional toll of the war tested her faith, her resilience, and her confidence as a mother. 

When survival became the daily struggle 

Before the war, the family lived modestly but securely. Desta’s husband worked whatever jobs he could find to meet their basic needs. After his death, that fragile security disappeared. With no source of income and no prior experience earning a livelihood, Desta faced overwhelming financial hardship. Food became scarce, and meeting even the most basic household needs was a daily struggle. 

The impact on her children was devastating. They were repeatedly sent home from school because Desta could not afford uniforms, scholastic materials, or school fees. The moment that broke her the most was when her youngest daughter was not only sent home, but told not to return to school because the fees had not been paid. 

“I wondered if I had failed as a mother,” Desta shared. “I watched my children cry, and I felt completely hopeless."

A turning point through timely support 

Desta’s life began to change when she was selected by the community selection committee to receive support through the Tigray Humanitarian Response Project implemented by SOS Children’s Villages in Ethiopia, with support from SOS Children’s Villages Worldwide. The assistance started with what the family needed most to survive: food support and multipurpose cash assistance. For the first time in months, Desta could prepare balanced meals for her children and cover essential household needs with dignity and flexibility. This was followed by scholastic materials, which allowed her children to return to school and reclaim their right to education.  

Beyond meeting immediate needs, the project focused on strengthening Desta as a caregiver and provider. Through positive parenting training, Desta learned nurturing, respect-based approaches to caregiving, rooted in warmth, empathy, and clear communication. The training helped her rebuild strong bonds with her children and support their emotional healing after the trauma of conflict and loss. She also participated in business skills training, where she gained practical knowledge on income generation, planning, and small enterprise management skills that allowed for long-term self-reliance. 

Using the skills and confidence she gained, Desta invested in a small livelihood. She purchased six hens and started a poultry business, alongside a handicraft business producing traditional home decorations and daily-use items. Income from selling eggs and handmade products now enables her to cover food, school-related expenses, and household needs. More importantly, it has restored her sense of purpose and independence. 

“The support gave my children back their education, helped us have enough food, and gave me the skills to start a business,” she says. “This is not the end; I plan to expand both of my businesses in the near future.” 

Her journey is a powerful reminder that with timely, holistic support, families affected by conflict can heal, rebuild, and thrive. 

About the project 

Launched in 2024, the Multi-Sectoral Protection Measures for Children, Young People, and Women Affected by Conflict and Drought in Tigray, Ethiopia project is implemented across three woredas: Samre, Kola Tembien, and Axum. The project aims to directly support nearly 46,000 individuals and reach an additional more than 34,000 people indirectly, including persons with disabilities, survivors and those at risk of gender-based violence, children affected by malnutrition, and broader school communities. Over three years, the initiative addresses urgent humanitarian needs while laying the foundation for long-term recovery, resilience, and family stability. 

*To respect the person's privacy, their real name has not been used.