Rebuilding Hope After Conflict

The consequences of war extend far beyond the battlefield—especially for children, whose minds are not built to endure such trauma. The civil war in Ethiopia’s Tigray region, which lasted from 2020 to 2022, left deep scars on millions. The conflict between the Ethiopian federal government and Eritrean forces on one side, and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) on the other, resulted in nearly 1 million displacements. According to regional reports, approximately 23,000 children were left without parental care. 

Kola Tembien, one of the worst-affected areas in Tigray and home to Medhin, still faces a dire humanitarian situation. Over 7,200 households remain in urgent need of food assistance. 

Medhin’s life was turned upside down by the war. In her words and actions, she embodies the suffering and resilience of so many mothers in conflict zones. Amid the chaos of bombings, Medhin lost her eldest daughter. She herself was injured, sustaining damage that left her with a permanent disability in one hand. But even as she bled and struggled to move, her only thought was for her daughter and how she could save her. 

There was no time to grieve. Survival demanded everything. With her daughter gone and danger still surrounding them, Medhin had to focus on keeping her second child alive. Each day felt like a countdown. 

When the war ended in 2022 following the signing of the Pretoria Agreement, which established an interim administration in Tigray, the aftermath left many families like Medhin’s with nothing. Homeless and emotionally broken, she and her daughter turned to the streets. The trauma of losing her daughter ran deep, leaving her emotionally paralyzed and unable to seek support, even from relatives. 

Disconnected from herself and her daughter’s well-being, time passed. Grief turned to numbness. Like many in Tigray, she had resigned herself to a life of quiet suffering. 

A turning point came when Medhin was identified by SOS Children’s Villages in Ethiopia through its Tigray humanitarian action project (HGFD). Along with 1,800 others affected by the conflict, she and her family received life-saving food aid. For the first time, in a long time they were able to eat nutritious meals. Her two-year-old daughter received corn soya blend (CSB), a food supplement rich in protein and micronutrients critical for recovery from malnutrition.  

A new beginning 

With hope rekindled, Medhin used the small savings she had left to buy two hens. Selling their eggs became her first step toward building a sustainable livelihood. Alongside this, she received mental health and psychosocial support, essential in helping her begin to heal from the immense trauma she carried. 

“Today, a renewed sense of hope fills our home. Having reliable access to food has restored my dignity and peace of mind. I can now focus on raising my daughter and nurturing our small poultry business. While the loss of my daughter remains an immense pain, the support has helped me find purpose and a path forward.” 

Though Medhin is thriving to get better, like many Tigrayans, she lives with a persistent fear that the fragile peace might not last.  

For families like Medhin’s, the shadow of war has not fully lifted 

Millions of children across conflict zones are still being separated from their families. War is preventable. And when peace is preserved, children flourish. They stay with their families, go to school, and dream about the future. But where conflict persists, childhood is cut short, and futures are stolen.