TRANSFORMING LIVES IN ETHIOPIA

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George Riley
5 years ago
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1 TRANSFORMING LIVES IN ETHIOPIA PARTNERING WITH THE KALE HEYWET CHURCH

2 INTRODUCTION Poverty in Ethiopia is widespread in both rural and urban areas, with Ethiopia one of the least developed countries in the world, ranking 173rd out of 187 on the 2013 United Nations Development Programme Human Development Index. The World Bank estimates that 77.5% of Ethiopians survive on less than $2 (approx. 1.30) per day and roughly 29% of the population are living below the poverty line. Into this challenge steps the Ethiopian Kale Heywet Church (EKHC). They are the largest evangelical denomination in the country with approximately eight million members in more than 8,000 widely dispersed congregations. Following the ousting of Emperor Haile Selassie in 1974, EKHC became independent and self-governing. The Armed Forces, Police, and Territorial Army (known as the Dergue) ruled Ethiopia from 1974 to 1987 took power and it was a difficult time for the church - congregations had to cope with discrimination and persecution. Since the fall of the Dergue in 1991, EKHC have been working with Tearfund to heal the wounds of conflict and discrimination in the church and to transform Ethiopian society. For the past ten years, EKHC have been working alongside church leaders in Ethiopia encouraging them to look at the material needs of the community not the spiritual needs of their people and community. Over 1500 local churches in Ethiopia are currently helping their communities address issues such as learning how to save money, caring for their environment, combating illiteracy, support for those with HIV and Aids and food insecurity. It is estimated that over 1 million lives have been transformed by this process. But there are another 89 million people in Ethiopia to reach. AS DIRECTOR OF TEARFUND WALES I AM PLEASED AND PRIVILEGED THAT WE HAVE THIS UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO FOSTER AND GROW A DEEP FRIENDSHIP BETWEEN WALES AND THE ETHIOPIAN KALE HEYWET CHURCH. HYWEL MEREDYDD, TEARFUND WALES

3 SELF HELP GROUPS MESERET AND HER FAMILY HAVE BENEFITED FROM BEING INVOLVED IN A TEARFUND SELF-HELP GROUP. PHOTO: CALLY MYDDELTON/TEARFUND The Ethiopian Kale Heywet Church (KHC) have been pioneering a form of savings and loan groups in their churches which has become a movement that s taking Ethiopia by storm. Through the Self Help Group (SHG) approach EKHC is challenging poverty, establishing strong social bonds and giving people the opportunity to flourish. Meseret is a member of a self-help group (SHG) where like-minded people come together each week to save small amounts of money. Under the guidance of Tearfund-trained staff, SHG members can access pooled funds to take out loans to start businesses. In addition to savings and credit, the SHGs are sanctuaries for members to come and discuss their problems. Together people develop solutions to a whole range of issues and become confident and capable of realising change in their lives. I CAN T EXPRESS IN WORDS WHAT MY GROUP MEANS TO ME... I WAS ABLE TO COMPLETELY TRANSFORM MY LIFE AND GIVE MY DAUGHTERS A BETTER FUTURE. MESERET

4 MESERET AT HOME WITH HUSBAND BELAY AND THEIR THREE DAUGHTERS. PHOTO: CALLY MYDDELTON/TEARFUND SHGs mean that for the first time, women like Meseret feel empowered to have their voice heard and to earn vital income so that they can improve their families futures. Meseret said, I can t express in words what my group means to me. They are my sisters - we support each other in everything. And we help to look after the rest of the community. By saving and investing in small businesses, I was able to completely transform my life and give my daughters a better future. Before joining an SHG, Meseret was in the clutches of poverty. Her husband Belay s labourer salary provided scraps of food and they slept on the floor with no possessions. When she heard that her local church had set up a self-help group, Meseret went along hoping for a hand out. Instead she found a group of women and a church facilitator who had just set up a group bank account and were saving 50 cents a week each (2p). Meseret wondered what was the point in saving an amount that was so tiny but agreed to join. The group grew from strength to strength, not only providing business loans to one another but also social support for childcare and healthcare bills.

Meseret chairs a meeting of her self-help group based in the Ethiopian city of Nazaret. Photo: Cally Myddelton/Tearfund Being in an SHG has seen Meseret go from strength to strength.

5 Meseret chairs a meeting of her self-help group based in the Ethiopian city of Nazaret. Photo: Cally Myddelton/Tearfund Being in an SHG has seen Meseret go from strength to strength. Meseret used a loan to start selling charcoal and invested the profits to buy materials to make handicrafts. She s also set up a hairdressing venture and has plans to open a shop. As well as being able to feed her children three times a day, Meseret now has a new roof over her head. She s also become a Christian and active church member. Tearfund has been supporting SHGs since 2002 and today there are more than 12,000 across Ethiopia, having an impact on more than 1 million people. They are making a dent in Ethiopia s poverty were 39 per cent of the population live below the poverty line surviving on US$1.25 a day. LINKING WITH A DISTRICT Tearfund are inviting you to partner with a KHC district, to enable them to transform the lives of their community and get to a point where they no longer need our financial support to do it! To fully support a District on this journey would cost approximately 30,000 a year and could take around 7 years to complete; we propose that you consider investing in a partnership for an initial duration of 3 years, funding part of the work in your link district. By supporting a KHC district to roll out SHGs and see them become sustainable we d hope to connect you to the leaders of EKHC for that District, to form a key connection and journey with them; hearing news back on your linked district, visiting them and so on.

6 YOUR CONNECTION AS A CONNECTED CHURCH YOU WILL: Be introduced to your Partner, their leadership and work through Connected Church updates, so you can build a relationship with them. Be able to visit your Partner regularly, to learn more about their work, and the issues of they are tackling. Both the church and individuals who choose to will receive regular updates and news by on the progress of our Partners work and things to pray for. Consider whether future visitors can offer skills and expertise to our Partners, perhaps with professional skills in finance, IT or management, or in ministry. Resource our Partners work financially. Commit to supporting our Partners work in prayer and bringing your partnership to the attention of your church and wider community, through regular input in church communications, Sunday services and community events TEARFUND S VALUE ADDED - BEHIND THE SCENES TEARFUND WILL: Provide you with regular updates on the project s progress. Be involved in the design of our Partners programmes to ensure they are of high quality and very effective. Hold our Partners to account for funds spent on the project and decisions our Partners make. Visit our Partners on a regular basis to monitor projects and progress. Be involved in the development of our Partners organisation and staff. Organise any logistics and administration for your visits.

ELFED AND AMME MEET IN ETHIOPIA. SOURCE:TEARFUND DURING MY VISIT TO ETHIOPIA IT WAS INSPIRING TO SEE WHOLE COMMUNITIES BEING TRANSFORMED THROUGH THE WORK OF THE LOCAL CHURCH.

7 ELFED AND AMME MEET IN ETHIOPIA. SOURCE:TEARFUND DURING MY VISIT TO ETHIOPIA IT WAS INSPIRING TO SEE WHOLE COMMUNITIES BEING TRANSFORMED THROUGH THE WORK OF THE LOCAL CHURCH. THROUGH ENCOURAGING THE CHURCH TO HAVE A GREATER UNDERSTANDING OF LOOKING AT THE WHOLE NEEDS OF THE WHOLE PERSON, IT REALLY IS AN EXAMPLE OF BEING TRANSFORMED BY THE RENEWING OF YOUR MIND, (ROMANS 12:2). IT S BOTH BIBLICAL AND EFFECTIVE AND WILL HAVE LONG LASTING EFFECT ON FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES FOR GENERATIONS TO COME. I MET AMME WHO HELPS DELIVERS PROJECT GILGAL IN SOUTH WEST ETHIOPIA, IN THE GROUNDS OF A LOCAL CHURCH LINKED TO THE PROGRAMME. AFTER A CONVERSATION TO EXPLORE THE VISION OF WELSH CHURCHES LINKING WITH THE PROJECT THROUGH TEARFUND S CONNECTED CHURCH INITIATIVE WE SHOOK HANDS TO SEAL THE DEAL! L KNEW AT THAT MOMENT A KEY FRIENDSHIP HAD BEEN ESTABLISHED. ELFED GODDING, NATIONAL DIRECTOR, EVANGELICAL ALLIANCE WALES FIRST I THANK GOD FOR HE HAS GIVEN US AN OPPORTUNITY TO KNOW EACH OTHER AND SHARE LIFE IN CHRIST; AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRAYERS AND GIVING US ROOM IN YOUR HEART. OUR PRAYER NEEDS ARE THIS - THAT OUR LEADERS WILL CONTINUE TO BE SALT AND LIGHT IN THEIR COMMUNITIES. AMME, CHURCH AND COMMUNITY MOBILISATION LEADER FOR SOUTH WEST ETHIOPIA

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