20-12-2024 | di COOPI

Ethiopia. How cash assistance transformed Senay's life

Senay, a mother of three who suffered a right-hand injury during the conflict in Ethiopia, shares her journey as a beneficiary of the multi-purpose cash assistance program.

 

  Before receiving the cash assistance, I struggled to provide food for my children. We often went to bed hungry. The support has changed everything for us. I was able to buy enough food for my family and even started a small vegetable garden,"

she recounts.

 

Senay’s experience mirrors the hardships faced by countless families in Sedal Woreda, Kamashi Zone, in Ethiopia's Benishangul Gumuz Region. Over the past four years, the area has been gripped by instability and armed conflict, forcing thousands to flee their homes. Displacement left families without access to essential resources, and many struggled to secure basic necessities such as food, shelter, and healthcare.

To address this dire situation, COOPI - Cooperazione Internazionale launched a project funded by the Ethiopia Humanitarian Fund (UN-OCHA), designed to support returnees affected by inter-communal conflict. Through the “Integrated multi-sector assistance to support return process in Sedal Woreda, Kamashi Zone, Benishangul Gumuz Region” project,  multi-purpose cash assistance was provided to 1,000 households, benefiting a total of 5,068 people in Sedal Woreda. Each household received 6,300 ETB, giving them the flexibility to meet their most pressing needs, whether for food, medical expenses, or shelter repairs.

Senay chose to invest part of her cash assistance in seeds and tools, enabling her to establish a vegetable garden. The garden now nourishes her family and generates a small income through local market sales.

 

Now I can feed my children and send them to school,”

 she says with a smile.

The project’s impact extends beyond meeting immediate needs. In a community once plagued by conflict and displacement, it has fostered a sense of hope and resilience. Families are rebuilding their lives, restoring their dignity, and gradually witnessing a return to normalcy.

Senay emphasizes this transformation: 

 The cash assistance has not only helped my family meet our immediate needs but has also fostered a sense of hope and resilience. We are seeing things gradually get back to normal.”

 

COOPI has been active in Ethiopia since 1995, providing humanitarian and development assistance with a multi-sectoral and integrated approach. It focuses on supporting vulnerable groups, including internally displaced persons (IDPs) fleeing conflict or natural disasters, helping them rebuild their lives and communities.