The Courage to Start Over

For Iman, Selam Children’s Village in Addis Ababa became her home from an early age due to a health condition that made it impossible for her parents to care for her. Despite the challenges, Iman had a decent childhood, but when she reached adulthood, she left the village, got married, and became a mother of twins. Tragically, shortly after the birth of her children, she lost her husband. With no family support and limited resources, Iman faced overwhelming struggles, often unable to provide enough food for her children, and became consumed with worry about their uncertain future.

Amidst her health issues and the economic difficulties, she endured, Iman made a courageous decision to move from Addis Ababa to Sendafa, hoping to find support from distant relatives. However, her situation remained unchanged, and her struggles continued.

At a time when Iman felt most desperate, she encountered SOS Children’s Villages in Ethiopia’s Leave No Youth Behind project and Selam Fruit Association, a key partner of the project. This encounter provided her with access to a broader array of resources. She joined the Leave No Youth Behind project, which focuses on empowering people who grew up in care like Iman by equipping them with the necessary skills to navigate the labour market, secure employment, or pursue self-employment, ultimately promoting their independence and societal contribution.

Iman’s journey toward independence and financial security progressed rapidly. Through capacity-building programs, she gained invaluable business skills, including financial management, marketing, and conflict resolution. Upon completion, she was provided with a startup toolkit to establish her own dairy farm business.

Determined to rebuild her life, Iman launched her dairy farm. Thanks to her relentless hard work and dedication, her business gained traction quickly. Within no time, it was flourishing, earning her an average daily income of 2,000 to 3,000 ETB. Fuelled by this success, Iman sought government support to secure a larger workspace for her growing business. By advocating for herself and her community which she learned through the project’s initiatives, she was able to acquire a space where she could sell her dairy products. Now, not only has Iman transformed her own life, but she has also created job opportunities for 7 other young people, contributing to her community's economic growth.

No longer seeing herself as a survivor, Iman now acknowledges herself as a thriving entrepreneur who has taken control of her future. Her story underscores the importance of supporting people who grew up in care through their transition into independent living, demonstrating that with the right support, young people can overcome significant challenges and create life-changing opportunities for themselves and others.

The Leave No Youth Behind project has already made a significant impact, reaching 356 people who grew up in care through various initiatives. Among them, 119 individuals received loans to start their income-generating activities (IGAs), similar to Iman’s dairy farm; 61 individuals were linked to job opportunities, and 176 gained valuable skills through short-term training.

SOS Children’s Villages in Ethiopia continues to advocate for collective action to address the unique challenges people who grew up in care face. Key recommendations include integrating care leavers into national policies and legal frameworks, providing comprehensive aftercare services, creating a national database for care leavers, and strengthening partnerships and support systems tailored to their needs. With these efforts, SOS Children’s Villages in Ethiopia aims to ensure that people who grew up in care, like Iman, have the tools and opportunities they need to thrive in society.

" No words can fully express what this journey has become for me."

Iman

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