Stories of Ethiopia

Each of these people I met gave me their name and told me their story.

These are mothers and fathers, sons and daughters, leaders, farmers, priests. They are resilient despite the fact that they have experienced loss beyond what most humans ever face. They have lost children, spouses, jobs, health. But despite all of that they have still have hopes and dreams for the future. I can’t wait to tell you their stories.

Tsehaynesh

WORKING FOR HER NIECE’S EDUCATION

Tsehaynesh is supporting her niece Maerg who is in grade 11 and lives over an hour away in a small town attending high school. She learned how to budget and raise a few extra goats to pay for her niece to finish high school. Maerg will be the first girl to ever finish high school in her family.

Hindia

Wants to be a teacher one day

Hindia is 11 years old and lives in Birbirsa, Ethiopia. Our partner imagine1day built a new school there and is empowering kids like her to set goals and dreams. She wants to be a teacher one day. Run for Water has now brought clean water to her village so she could attend school instead of spending her days fetching water.

Priest

Praying 40 years for clean water

This monk has lived alone in a cave thousands of feet up on a mountain in northern Ethiopia praying for 40 years that his people and his land would have access to clean water.

Tesame

Hoping for healthy kids and irrigation for her farm

Tesame has four children. Her husband passed away last year and she works hard on her farm to grow enough food for them to eat. Her biggest hurdle is the fact that the water she is drinking is full of parasites. All of her kids are struggling with health issues related to contaminated water. Water for her means healthy kids and irrigation for her farm.

Trengo

Walking 4 to 5 hours a day to find water

Trengo is a mother of two children. She spends 4 to 5 hours a day walking in the desert heat to find water. Her back is constantly sore because of the 50 pounds water jug that she carries every day. Water to her means freeing up 5 hours of her day which she could devote to planting a garden which would grow healthy vegetables for her kids. Currently their diet consists of maze, barley and teff grain. Nothing else grows without water.

Ibrahim

Dreaming his daughters can go to school

Aleko

Hoping for a brighter future

Demekech

Exciting opportunity to start a business

Buzunesh

Following a dream to become a doctor

Uncommo

Delivered her baby without clean water

Maymuna

Empowering girls to go to school

Fatira

Walking 12km round trip to a contaminated stream

Ahmed

Decided to go to school for the first time

Aziza

Cooking for 100 people at a time

Abdella

Village chief and advocate for education

Bezawit

Loves going to school and playing with friends

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Responding to the water crisis in Africa

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Donation Disclaimer: 100% of your donations go directly to Ethiopia to bring clean water and improved education. All of our overhead cost is covered by a group of generous partners. If this year’s designated project is fully funded, Run for Water reserves the right to use excess funds to build additional water and education projects in other rural communities in Ethiopia.