Building Strength, Rebuilding Lives
Senior Development Manager at Act for Peace, Steph Lenert, travelled to Ethiopia recently to spend time with refugees who have joined a program which provides them with a holistic, sustainable, pathway out of poverty. Together we are working with our local partner to empower people experiencing displacement to rebuild their lives through the Tesfa project. Tesfa, (which means ‘hope’ in Amharic language), is modelled on the highly successful, locally led Forsa program in Jordan.
Steph shares her experiences of meeting with program participants in Addis Ababa.
Tell us about your recent trip to Ethiopia – what were you doing there?
I visited Act for Peace’s local partner the Development and Inter Church Aid Commission (DICAC) to learn about the Tesfa project which builds the self-reliance of families, so they are no longer dependent on aid or unsafe/unstable sources of income.
It was really exciting to connect with the families recently chosen for the Tesfa project, right at the beginning of their journey and hear about their personal goals and vision for the future. They bravely shared their stories with me. Being a refugee or host community facing disadvantage, they shared details of facing unimaginable hardship. They all showed incredible courage, resilience and strength to persevere.
The Tesfa project is just getting started and their voices were filled with optimism. They spoke of how the possibility of life-changing transformation is enough to spark hope, and how their outlook on life is already starting to shift. They are feeling excited for their lives to change and want Act for Peace supporters to know the difference that their support is making.
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| Above: Steph meeting one of the Tesfa participants and her family in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Photo credit: Genaye Eshetu/ Act for Peace |
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Can you explain a bit more about the Tesfa program?
The “Tesfa” (Hope) project follows the ‘Graduation out of Poverty’ approach with a range of activities designed to provide holistic support to refugee and host community (Ethiopian) families in Addis Ababa. All designed to build sustainable incomes to achieve social and economic empowerment. The project will assist 50 families over two years.
The program provides ongoing mentoring and training to build their businesses. Training includes technical/vocational skills; business and life skills; income-generation planning; and financial literacy. It also provides financial support such as business grants and savings and loans groups. Plus, referrals to job linkages, protection, health and other services.
The approach positions refugees as the main actors in their own solutions.
The Graduation out of Poverty Approach is different from traditional income-generating programs, because it recognises that vulnerable people are often excluded or do not benefit equally from programs. They face a range of other barriers, including protection threats and lack of financial inclusion.
Act for Peace is backing local organisations to lead in delivering this complex and highly effective project approach. As local people are best placed to deliver the most effective, appropriate and efficient local programs.
What did you experience that you wish everyone could see first-hand?
I’m moved by what the Act for Peace and DICAC partnership aims to achieve. Talking with families who have overcome incredible challenges and seeing their hope for the future is inspiring.
I wish everyone could see their faces light up when they talk about the difference this support will make. Their generosity has a lasting impact. It’s not just about a band-aid solution. It’s about giving these individuals a chance to build a better life for themselves. When the participants understood there are people in Australia who are supporting them to succeed, they felt overcome with emotion and gratitude. They really felt like people cared about them.
I hope that everyone who supports the Tesfa project understands the impact. This multidimensional project has the right ingredients to end the poverty cycle for families. It will change the trajectory of their entire lives.
I hope that Act for Peace Supporters know how far their gifts reach, both now and into the future. The results will be transformational on many levels and the impact will continue far beyond the two-year project. We’re talking about a child receiving an education and fulfilling their dream of becoming a doctor. Or a mother being able to provide safe shelter for her newborn baby. A family sitting down to a meal each night together and sleeping peacefully knowing they are now safe.
Act for Peace gratefully acknowledges the support of the Australian Government through the Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP).
