Sponsorship helps a Desperate Girl Meet Her Dream 

Tigist was born and grew up in Shashemene town to farm parents. Her parents were self-sufficient and could provide their children with food and school materials. Unfortunately, they divorced, posing a significant challenge to their children. "Before the divorce, life was good, and we always had enough food on the table. After the separation, however, things turned upside down. Getting food has become a challenge for us. Our father became reluctant to support us. Our mother engaged in petty trades, but the income was insufficient to meet our needs. I thought I could not achieve my dream,” she sadly recalls with a heavy heart. 

Tigist was concerned about her mother's low income and her inability to make ends meet. She began working part-time after class to lessen her mother's stress and support her financially. She says, "My mother was old and worked hard to feed us. I could not bear to watch her suffer.  I started petty trading activities like buying and selling veggies, roasting potatoes, and selling them after school and made some money.  The additional money I earned helped us make ends meet. I felt like I was easing my mother's stress and helping my three sisters live life as it should be." 

The responsibility Tigist took on was not easy. She had to go to the market in the scorching sun to buy the vegetables. She sits in the marketplace in the open air after school, braving the heat of the sun and the grains of dust from the strong wind. She recalls, "The job was tedious. It consumes one’s energy, time, and youth. When I compare my toil with my family's food security, I see my hard work as a sacrifice for their survival. Putting everything aside, I focused on my education and envisaged my future destination." 

Tigist completed the 12th national examination with good grades, allowing her to enter a university. She showed her results to her dad so she could get financial assistance. At first, he was pleased with the result and pledged to pay her tuition fees. A day later, he changed his mind and declined, breaking her heart. She says, “I went mad when I knew he changed his mind. I ran up to him and pleaded with him to think twice about his decision, but he refused. I gave up hope. I made a desperate decision to travel to one of the Arab nations to seek a job.” 

Tigist has benefited a lot from the sponsorship programme initiatives since the day she joined it until she completed her grade 12 studies. She says, “The World Vision sponsorship project was like a father to a child for me. Each year, it provided me with writing materials and school uniforms. It also supported me with input supplies, such as chicken, allowing me to raise and help meet some of my own needs.  The staff's love and care for me were extraordinary, sincere, and reminiscent of a parent who wishes to see his child in a better position."

Tigist remembered all the support and care she received from Shashemene AP from grades 6 through 12. With all the good work and love in her heart and the belief that the AP can do whatever it costs them to help her realise her dream, she went to the AP office and poured out the challenges she faced to a sponsorship officer. The AP sponsorship project discussed the issue with its management team and sent an email to her former sponsor, who was almost on the verge of quitting the sponsorship, outlining all the difficulties she was facing. Thankfully, her sponsor reconsidered his decision and continued to support her. She says, “The AP staff advised me to cancel my plan of travelling to the Arab country and promised me to finance my university studies after they successfully persuaded my sponsor to recommit. The AP used to provide me with school supplies, clothes, and pocket money. I completed my studies with good grades in Accounting and Finance from Soddo University and graduated with a BSC Degree. 

Tigist’s breathtaking but successful journey exemplifies how a sponsorship programme transforms the lives of the world's most disadvantaged children across the world. Presently, she is working as an Accountant and Finance Officer in one of the prestigious Commercial Bank of Ethiopia’s branches. Owing to substantial sponsor funding and continued advice from the Shashemene AP team, Tigist is currently self-sufficient and supporting her mother and siblings. 

Tigist adores World Vision for its life-changing support and is thankful for helping her meet her dream. She says, "I run short of words to describe how much I love World Vision. It's like having a real, loving father. It is a genuine organisation dedicated to supporting the most vulnerable children. I've seen and tested this in my life. Had it not been for sponsorship support, I would have left my country and become a maid in one of the Arab countries. If I could work for it in the future, I would be delighted to repay everything I can. I’m in its debt." 

Tigist is one of the hard-working staff in the bank and received an award last year for best accomplishment. 

By Aklilu Kassaye, Field Communication Manager, World Vision Ethiopia