HOW OUR COFFEE TRANSFORMS LIVES IN ETHIOPIA
We want to do all we can to support the communities of coffee-growing parts of the world. As coffee is grown in tropical regions, often in remote rural areas, making a positive impact to those who need it can be hard to guarantee. That’s why one of the ways we give back is by supporting Compassion’s intervention projects.
Compassion works to serve children in regions of extreme poverty as well as their families and wider communities. Compassion have been serving communities in Ethiopia, the worlds oldest coffee producing country, since 1993 which have protected thousands of lives and futures across the country.
Our most recent support has continued to enable Compassion to train and empower 863 family caregivers from their child development centres with the means to become self-sufficient and break the cycle of poverty.
Since our last update about Compassion’s work, we have added some additional testimonies to this post to consolidate the examples of the work we have support through sales of our coffees.
Top image: mother to Compassion-supported child, Tsion, is selling coffee and fast-food in her community. She obtained a loan of 3,700 ETB (£59) from the Self-Help Group in March 2021 and has been able to generate a monthly profit of 1,500 ETB (£24). Like many others, she plans to expand her business as trade continues.
THE PROBLEM
CHILDREN ARE BORN INTO POVERTY
In regions of extreme poverty, parents and caregivers are often trapped in a cycle of poverty because they haven’t been able to afford education or the resources to start a business for themselves. As children grow up in poverty, the cycle continues as there are no means to overcome day to day deprivation.
THE INTERVENTION
INCOME GENERATION TRAINING
Providing children’s caregivers with start-up funds and training to start their own small businesses helps develop a sustainable source of income for themselves and their families. It equips and empowers individuals with skills to succeed.
THE PURPOSE
BREAKING THE POVERTY CYCLE
Once families taking part in Compassion’s programmes have a profitable business, income can be invested back into their children’s education and into growing their business further. With a stable source of income, parents can begin to save and provide for the needs of their family, breaking the cycle of living in extreme poverty.
THE OUTCOME
EMPOWERING FAMILIES
In November 2020, conflict broke out in northern regions of Ethiopia which has caused instability throughout the country. Our coffee sales have enabled families to become self-sufficient which in turn has enabled their children to focus on their education and, in the future, run their own business or find employment during this troubled time.
Small loans making a big impact
Dechasa is a Compassion Centre Director taking part in providing training and economic support to families. She says: “Many lives have been brightened because of this intervention, as they were able to obtain funds to expand their enterprises.”
Mesert lives with her husband and her two children, including Abel, a Compassion-supported child. Before this opportunity, she owned her own business in a shop. However, because of a lack of money, she was not able to run the business consistently. Since she had low capital, she used to earn very little money from selling her goods and could not support her family’s basic needs.
In October 2020, Mesert received training and a first loan of 5,000 ETB, (£79) and started her own coffee and tea house. She repaid the first loan and took a second loan of 10,000 ETB (£158), She is now starting to earn a monthly net profit of 2,500 – 3.000 ETB (£39 – £47). She can now purchase clothing, food items, and school supplies. She is very grateful and excited for the support.
Empowering families to thrive
Edene, left, has been supported through Compassion’s intervention programmes to build her business. She obtained 3,000 ETB (£47) loan from the self-help group in March 2021 and has been able to generate a profit of £1,600 ETB (£25) per month and has plans to expand her coffee business.
Many of those who receive financial assistance are determined to work hard to better their families’ lives through the small business they operate for a more promising future.
Our coffee really does make a tangible difference to the livelihoods and dignity to families in regions of extreme poverty. These are only a few of the stories – so far we have helped to support 863 families in Ethiopia in one of the hardest times this country has faced after much civil unrest and the impact of Covid.
Progress being made
Before these loans and training programmes, parents and caregivers in communities supporting local children were seeing essential items for schools and the dining table as luxury items. Despite their resilience, for these families the idea of putting away any savings was a far-off dream.
This provision has protected many lives and futures across Ethiopia by giving skills and confidence to caregivers to know that they can succeed in supporting their families. Putting away monthly savings, buying clothes, purchasing food, providing their children with school supplies becomes a reality and not a dream and empowers communities to thrive.
With your support in using Indigo Valley coffee the lives of families in regions of poverty are being transformed!
Read the July 2022 project update click here >
Read the full January 2023 project update click here >
Discover more:
Find out more about Compassion’s work in Ethiopia click here
Buy coffee for home to support Compassion’s work click here
Read our interview with Compassion click here
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