The Many Benefits of Iron Roofing: Minew’s Story
Minew and her daughters
Project Ethiopia supports the construction of healthy homes that provide safe, healthy living environments for rural families. This includes helping vulnerable members of the community to build a sturdy new home with a waterproof iron roof.
Constructing dry, high-quality homes for the neediest community members solves a major burden for hundreds of villagers every year. This year we have expanded our new homes program into Zurzur, one of the more remote western kebeles of Dangla. Zurzur is a small cluster of 4 villages with a total population of 2,893.
Minew was born in the community of Zurzur in the Dangla countryside. She is now 45 years old and single. She grew up in a needy family where she started herding sheep at the age of 7, and never was able to attend school. She married a young farmer named Fentahun at age 15. Fentahun, however, was unhappy with his economic situation, and before long he left his wife and migrated to another area to do factory labor. Minew and her 3 daughters returned to her parents’ home in Zurzur where she eventually go thelp building a small grass roof hut, but had no income.
Despite her difficult circumstances and lack of education, Minew was a hard worker. She borrowed 300 birr ($5 USD) from her parents and started preparing and selling local alcohol and performing daily labor in the village. She eventually saved enough money to purchase 10 chickens and 2 female sheep. Her mother helped her care for her children when she was working.
When Project Ethiopia begins work with a new village, community elders, church leaders and Project Ethiopia staff determine who is most in need (i.e. widows, the sick, elderly, and orphans) .This year Minew was chosen by Project Ethiopia staff to receive an iron roof home and solar lantern. Her new home was only possible, however, due to the generosity and support of her community, who assisted her in first building a large, sturdy eucalyptus framed house to prepare for the new iron roof.
Minew always wanted her daughters to have a better life than she had, and when her daughters reached school age she found a way to get them to school, although not until they were old enough to walk the long distance to the school. Her oldest daughter is now 21 years old, in grade 9, her middle daughter is 18 years old in grade 6, and her youngest is age 8 in grade 1. Minew continues to work hard to support and educate her 3 daughters. Her parents have given her .25 hectare of land for a home and garden. She is so grateful to Project Ethiopia for choosing her to be the recipient of a sturdy, iron roof home so she and her family can live in comfort and good health.
“Our future is now bright! Now when my daughters go to university, we will hope fully be able to get a micro loan, since now I have a sturdy home and some farmland for collateral. Many thanks and long live Project Ethiopia and their supporters!”
