Welcome to Action Ethiopia
Action Ethiopia and SUNARMA were simultaneously established in 2000 in response to the extreme challenges faced by small-scale farmers and the natural environment. We focus on three remote project areas: Wof Washa, Gurage, Wuchale & Jidda.
Read more about who we are and what we do on: Action Ethiopia – About Us
You can’t wash away the stain…
Have you ever been forced to think the unthinkable? Can you steel yourself? We hear things and we know it happens, especially in war… Just occasionally though we can do something to help.
In a conservative society for a woman to suffer rape brings terrible consequences beyond the obvious. Shame. Women have just disappeared, gone to who knows where rather than suffer the shame of living in these close highland communities where everyone will know. It’s like the stain can never be washed away. It’s devastating for families and then they can’t help their sister, daughter, or wife. How can anyone cope? No friends, no family and no money to survive. Things are likely to get worse.
Action Ethiopia are facing the reality of this as we start working, post-war, in a devastated natural environment. Women are key to improving the natural world. They organise themselves quickly and efficiently, especially if women’s groups bring benefit to families. But how can progress be made in the shadow of rape? By professional emotional support from those skilled and experienced in the post-war trauma of rape.
Action Ethiopia with its sister organisation, SUNARMA, has experience working in remote places in Ethiopia that would never normally have help from outside. We can bring hope that once again farming communities can live well off the land. But we need to bring emotional and mental support for women who have suffered and will carry the scars of rape for a lifetime. We will do this by working with experienced counsellors and the local administration to bring the help that is needed for as long as it takes.
The consequences of doing nothing do not bear thinking about. There are reported suicides of young women for whom the world has been destroyed and there is no hope. Then there are the resulting pregnancies and children. It is just unbearable.
SUNARMA have a proven track record of developing women’s groups that bring enormous benefits to their farming community. Women are better at developing local groups and cooperatives than men. They must manage the family budget and they instinctively want to improve life for their children. Experience has shown us without women all the best-laid plans will struggle.
You can never forget but with the right support slowly but surely things begin to look more hopeful and the future a little brighter.
Bringing help and hope to some of the poorest people in the world:
ACTION ETHIOPIA Sweetpeaa House, 4 Broadway, Hemyock, Devon, EX15 3RF
Registered Charity No: 1093680
