WOMEN'S EMPOWERMENT From the Dark Days of Displacement to Better & Brighter Days: This Is Ayinalem’s Story

The brighter days Ayinalem longed for are here. After civil conflict in Ethiopia caused thousands of deaths and displaced millions of people, Ayinalem’s life was thrown into chaos.

The conflict has caused families to flee their homes with nothing more than the clothes they wear. Ayinalem fled the region with her husband, two teenage daughters, and young son. The reality of displacement is stark. Displaced individuals and families face major challenges in education, employment opportunities, and access to clean water.

Ayinalem recalled the early days of her family’s displacement: “It was a dark time. … We felt so hopeless.”

Then Ayinalem met Convoy of Hope and joined the Women’s Empowerment program. She always wanted to start her own business, but she didn’t have the knowledge, money, or supplies to get started. Convoy helped her start and succeed in her business tailoring clothes.

“The best thing that has happened to me is the training and startup capital I got from Convoy of Hope,” she said.

Now she dreams of expanding her business and creating job opportunities for those who are unemployed in her community. After persevering through the dark days of displacement, Ayinalem strives to be an example to the many others who are living in the desperate conditions she and her family once knew.

“I am so happy, and I have a lot of hope,” she said. “Those dark days have gone, and now I see brighter and better days.”

Because of your generosity, Convoy is empowering more and more women in Ethiopia to break the cycle of poverty, overcome their circumstances, and continue that generosity in their own communities.