The Family’s Keeper

Fozia is a 35-year-old mother from Jimma whose home became a place of safety for two children facing loss and separation. Alongside raising her own son, Kedir, she also stepped in to care for her niece, Semira, after her sister left her behind following remarriage, and her young nephew, Ali, who lost both of his parents at an early age. At first, the children were being cared for by Fozia’s elderly mother. But as her health condition worsened, the responsibility became too heavy to carry alone. While working in the Middle East as a domestic worker, Fozia realized that sending money home was no longer enough. The children needed stability, care, and someone physically present in their lives. So, she made the difficult decision to leave her work abroad and return home to Jimma to raise them herself. 

“I could not stay away knowing the children needed love, guidance, and someone to care for them every day,” Fozia says. 

Returning home, however, did not immediately bring relief. Fozia came back with only modest savings and little knowledge of how to sustainably invest or manage her income. At the same time, her mother’s worsening health created additional medical expenses, while the daily costs of food, education, clothing, and care for three children quickly consumed what little money she had managed to save. To survive, Fozia accepted work as a janitor at a local kindergarten, but the salary was far from enough to support the household. Despite working long hours, the family remained financially unstable. 

The turning point 

Fozia’s turning point came in 2024 through the SOS Children’s Villages in Ethiopia Kinship Care Programme in Jimma. Through the programme, Fozia received parenting and child protection training, business management support, scholastic materials for the children, and financial assistance to help strengthen the household. With this support, she started a small injera baking business alongside a poultry farm, helping create a more stable income for the family.  

But beyond financial support, the programme gave Fozia something equally important, hope that she could continue raising the children in a safe and caring family environment. What began as modest income-generating activities gradually transformed the family’s stability. Today, Fozia can better provide for the children’s daily needs, education, and wellbeing while continuing to expand her small businesses. She hopes to eventually supply injera to nearby hotels and increase her poultry production to strengthen the family’s long-term security. 

Healing through family care 

With Fozia’s love and care, the children slowly began to heal. Ali, who lost both parents as a baby, grew up calling Fozia “mother” because she is the only mother figure, he has ever truly known. Semira, after experiencing separation from her biological mother, found comfort, belonging, and emotional security within the family. Together with Kedir, the children formed a strong sibling bond built on care, trust, and shared experiences. Fozia worked hard to ensure none of the children ever felt different from one another.

“I want them to feel loved equally and to grow up knowing they belong together as a family,” she explains. 

Today, her son Kedir attends Grade 5, while Semira is in Grade 3 and performing much better academically than before. Ali, though still young, is growing up in a stable and nurturing environment where he is protected, encouraged, and deeply cared for. 

Strengthening family-based care  

Fozia’s story reflects a wider reality across Ethiopia, where extended families play a critical role in caring for children who have lost parental care. Relatives often step forward out of love and responsibility, but many do so while already facing poverty, unemployment, and limited access to services. Without support, these families can become overwhelmed, increasing the risk of children experiencing neglect, exploitation, or unnecessary separation from their communities. SOS Children’s Villages in Ethiopia is working to change this reality by strengthening families and promoting family-based care solutions that prioritize children growing up within safe and loving family environments whenever possible. 

Through holistic support that combines economic empowerment, parenting support, psychosocial care, and child protection services, the Kinship Care Programme helps caregivers like Fozia build resilience while ensuring children remain connected to their families, culture, and community. Since its launch in Jimma in 2024, the programme aims to reach nearly 335 direct family empowerment participants, while additionally supporting 115 children who have lost direct parental care. Behind every number is a family like Fozia’s, one that demonstrates that when caregivers are empowered, children do not simply survive. They heal, grow, and thrive within the love and protection of a family. 

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