Meet Frehiwot, Melaku, Getahun, and Fantanesh
A couple years ago the Sendafa Health Center asked us (the PAAV team) to help with a family which consists of 4 members. All 4 members are orphans; 2 sisters and 2 brothers. The eldest was Frehiwot, a 16 years old girl with HIV, the next was Melaku, a 14 years old boy, the next was Getahun, a 9 years old boy with HIV and the last was Fantanesh, a 1 year old girl. Their parents died of HIV/AIDS 2 years back after transmitting the disease to the first and third child. The eldest daughter, Frehiwot, was forced to stop her education so that she could take care of her baby sister and 2 brothers. Their home is a one room house made of mud and earthen floor. The house was old and had holes in the walls and roof letting in cold and rain. The earthen floor was eroded and had bad odor especially when rain water gets into the house. Thus, PAAV changed the roof, repaired the floor and the walls, making the house a better place to live in.
House before:
House after:
We continue to help them providing monthly food aid (wheat, cooking oil, shiro, etc.), clothes and shoes, and medical help as needed. We are trying to and discussing with the eldest daughter on how to include her in our IGA (income generating activity) program.
