JEMELA'S JOURNEY OF HOPE
Despite facing significant adversity, and personal loss, *Jemela's journey below serves as a testament to empowerment and resilience. With the support of Strengthen Productive Safety Net Program (PSNP) Institutions and Resilience (SPIR) II, Jemela not only conquered mental health obstacles but also actively pursued economic opportunities to secure her family's future.
Like many rural women in Ethiopia, Jemela was married at a fairly young age - just 22 years old. Though starting with high hopes, her marital journey diverged drastically from her expectations. Despite her and her new husband suffering from the hardships of poverty, Jemela found herself confined to her in-laws' home, expected to work in the home, and unable to seek employment to alleviate their circumstances. Day by day, the weight of the many household chores bore down on her until she could bear it no longer, and decided to return to her family's home.
Upon her return to Habru district of the Oromia region, Jemela discovered she was pregnant. Thankfully, with the unwavering support of her parents, particularly her mother, Jemela embarked on the journey of raising her daughter. Yet, as time passed and her daughter approached the age of eight, Jemela sought companionship again through marriage, leaving her daughter to be cared for by her parents. However, her second union also proved to be fraught with challenges. Both she and her husband toiled as daily labourers, but her husband squandered their precious earnings on vices like cigarettes and Khat (a stimulant, sometimes called Mirra), leading to frequent discord within their home.
The arrival of two additional daughters quickly added further strain to Jemela's already burdened shoulders. With infants to care for, she decided to bring her eldest daughter from her parent’s home to live with her and assist with childcare. Unfortunately, this choice led to a violent conflict between Jemela and her husband, ultimately resulting in the tragic loss of her cherished daughter, who fell victim to her husband’s brutality. Devastated and traumatised by the loss, Jemela’s world shattered. Yet, justice prevailed, as her husband was apprehended by the authorities, tried, and sentenced, and is now serving time behind bars. She was left to pick up the pieces of her fractured life, Jemela and her surviving children sought refuge with her parents.
During this turmoil, the SPIR II team offered Jemela a lifeline. During a mental health screening conducted by project staff, Jemela revealed her struggles and the impact they have had on her mental health. Identified as a candidate for intervention, Jemela was invited to participate in Group Problem Management Plus (GPM+), a group-based psychosocial support program aimed at addressing both emotional and practical challenges.
Through five weeks of GPM+ sessions, Jemela experienced a remarkable transformation. She developed tools for managing her depression and became determined not to let her tragedy dictate her future. Reflecting on her journey, Jemela remarked, "Even though losing my daughter in that way caused an indelible pain, I refuse to let it control my destiny. The discussions in the group helped me understand how stress and depression impact not just our lives but those around us."
The project empowered Jemela, enabling her to seize economic opportunities. With the help of a $300 cash grant from SPIR II, she purchased three goats to fatten and sell them during festive seasons with good profit. Additionally, she diligently saves through her Village Economic and Social Association (VESA) group and gets monthly maternal grants from the project, all of which she uses for the particular aim of securing a brighter future for her daughters.
"Now, my only dream is to provide for my daughters and ensure they receive the education they deserve," Jemela declared. "While I'm forever grateful for my parents' unwavering support, I'm determined to lighten their load by working tirelessly to support them."
In the face of adversity, Jemela emerged not as a victim but as a resilient woman, forging a path of hope and empowerment for herself and her daughters.
The story of Jemela highlights the overlapping obstacles encountered by rural women in Ethiopia. Early marriage limits girls' educational and economic opportunities, perpetuating poverty and inequality. Traditional gender norms confine women to caregiving, hindering career pursuits and full economic participation. Addressing these issues requires promoting gender equality through education, economic empowerment, and challenging societal norms. Empowering women economically, expanding educational access, and challenging entrenched gender roles are vital steps for Ethiopia to advance gender equality and inclusive development.
In 2022 and 2023, SPIR II conducted five-week GPM+ sessions for 4,661 individuals, with females accounting for 35% of participants, all experiencing common mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, and stress.
*The Name has been changed to protect the identity.
About SPIR II
Strengthen Productive Safety Net Program (PSNP) Institutions and Resilience (SPIR) II is a five-year Resilience Food Security Activity (RFSA) implemented by a consortium of partners led by World Vision that includes CARE, ORDA, and learning partner IFPRI. It is powered by funding from the USAID Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA), which focuses on enhancing livelihoods and resilience to shocks and improving food security and nutrition for rural households in Ethiopia’s Amhara, Oromia, and Tigray regions through interventions aligned with the government’s Productive Safety Net Program (PSNP).
By Emnet Dereje, Communications Specialist (SPIR II), World Vision Ethiopia