The Ethiopian government, with the aim to ensure the equal participation and benefits of women has put in place various strategies and policies and implemented various activities accordingly.
Among these strategies and programs devised to benefit rural women who are dependent on agricultural products and detached them from poverty, the agricultural development program is the one.
Even though the program aims to benefit all sections of the society, it gives due attention to women, who constitute the highest number of the population but are economically disadvantaged.
It also allows rural mothers to generate their own income as their counterparts, subsidize their economy and raise their families. Among the states practicing this strategy, The Central Ethiopia Stat is the one.
And one of the development initiatives that the State’s Administration is practicing to benefit women in a short period of time, ‘Ye lemat Tirufat’ and the ‘30-40-30 Fruit and Vegetable Initiative’ are at the first row.
These development initiatives, apart from increasing productivity in a short period of time, can help families in ensuring food security, to get the required nutritious food and benefit economically.
Taking this into consideration, the State’s Administration is giving special attention and support to women, for the reason that women are the main victims of food shortages and economic deprivation.
As a result, many mothers have been able to benefit from the program, support themselves and their children and improve their lives by averting the challenges caused by shortage of food, according to information gathered from the State’s Administration.
Recently, a group of journalists from the Ethiopian Press Agency had paid a field visit to Kembata Zone, one of the areas in the Central Ethiopia State of Ethiopia where the agricultural development program has been carried out aggressively.
And the crew had a chance to visit the house of Amarech Woldehawariat, who has succeeded in the program in the zone and becomes a role model for others.
As usual, Amarech was busy with her farming activities. In her life, she has gone through a number of challenges to raise her children and manage the lives of her families as a single mom. However, she never loses hope or gives up. Rather, she is a model for the community of Zato Shodera, Kembata Zone, where she was born, raised, got married and spent good and bad moments. “She is a heroine,” the villagers flatter her in a manner demonstrating her strength and commitment. She is even considered as a role model for many of the women who stayed at home due to problems and the pressure of their spouses.
“When my husband left me, there was nothing to eat in my house; I didn’t have any assets that enabled me to raise my children,” she said, trying to look behind her past.
Owing to this, she was compelled to look for the helping hands of others so as to put food on the table. Understanding Amarech’s and her family’s problem, her uncle sold her a breed heifer at a discounted price. “Even though my uncle gave me that heifer, which was a little bigger than a chicken, to pay him in two rounds, I was worried because I didn’t have any money at the time. However, putting my trust in God, I bought it,” she said.
Then, she started working day in day out to pay off the debt of the heifers. She began taking care of the fruits, avocado and other fruits she planted in her garden. Her God never let her down, instead blessed her. She picked 100 kilos of avocados from a single branch of a single tree and sold it. Then, she proudly paid one part of her uncle’s debt from the 500 birr she gained from the sale of avocados. Within less than a week, she can fully pay her loan.
Concurrently, on the small plot of land she had, she expanded her farming activities supported by agricultural experts and planted vegetables, fruits, coffee and enset- false bananas.
“I did not want to simply sit at home because I am a woman; I have been working day and night to save the life of my family as my mind did not accept the idea of sitting idly and waiting for the support of others. Seeing my efforts, my God helped me. He did not let me down.”
Joining hands with her elder child, she increased the number of her cattle to six in a short period of time. Likewise, by supplying dairy products to the local community, she can generate income, send her children to school and consume notorious food. What is more, she can transform her grass thatched mud hut into a corrugated iron house.
Now, Amarech is known in her village for sharing her good experiences to others and helping single mothers who raise children on their own.
“What is the point if I keep trying to improve and change merely my life? It doesn’t make sense. The country will not also grow. I believe that single mothers like me should get out of poverty and improve their lives through generating their own income, I will help them in every way I can. Taking my experience as an instance, I will show them the process that makes them productive. When this is possible, the lives of individual citizens will be improved and the country will also grow,” she remarked.
Amarech’s commitment and devotion is also gaining recognition among agricultural experts and Kebele’s administrators going beyond her area.
Amarech has a plan to expand her business. However, the space she has now does not allow to work as planned. Currently, she has asked the Kebele administration to give her a place so that to realize her future dreams.
Needless to say women are the foundation of a strong economy. Especially with the effort exerted to increase agricultural production and productivity as well as for the success and effectiveness of the government’s development goal of the agricultural sector, enhancing the participation of rural women and utilizing their potential is of critical importance.
To this end, building the capacity of rural women, dealing with every obstacle that may hinder them from reaching their fullest potential should be a matter that needs to be addressed accordingly.
BY STAFF REPORTER
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD THURSDAY 20 JUNE 2024
