Resilience and the Power of Women Working Together- Abaynesh's Women's Self-Help Group
The ripple effect of women’s self-help groups is transformative to women, their families, and the larger community. We met Abaynesh and her family last fall at her home in the village of Osheto. She joined us, along with her husband and four adorable children to talk about her Women’s Self-Help Group, and how it impacted herself and her family.
Abaynesh, her husband and her four children welcomed us to their home. [image description: a woman, man and four children are standing in front of their homes.]
Prior to joining her local Women’s Self-Help Group, Abaynesh shared that her family struggled financially for years, depending solely on seasonal income from their farm. In 2017, Abaynesh and eleven other women from her village formed their Women’s Self-Help group, naming it “Ediget SHG,” which translates to “Growth.” Their group opened a savings account, and every member contributed a small amount weekly.
Group members participate in weekly trainings and discussions on basic business skills, public speaking, health and hygiene, empowerment, and other topics of importance to women in the community. She said, “...learning all these new skills was helpful and opened my eyes!”
Abaynesh and other women from their Self-Help Group Ediget. [image description: a group of women are sitting together.]
In 2018, Abaynesh presented a business plan to her group and was approved for a small loan from the group’s savings account. She started a small business selling coffee and fruit at the local market.
“I was profitable and was able to repay the loan on time. Since then, I have taken additional loans to expand my business which is now sustainable and profitable.”
Abaynesh and her children. [image description: a mother and her four children.]
Abaynesh shared that her family is financially stable, and her children are now in school. She also shared that her women’s group members have coped better with drought conditions that have ravaged the area for the past few years:
“...the livestock died off in most of the households in our community. Most of ‘Ediget’ SHG members fared better than others during this hard time, thanks to our savings account.”
In addition to being a member of her local Women’s Self-Help Group, Abaynesh and her husband have participated in agricultural training and support, further strengthening their family’s agricultural output.
Abaynesh’s enthusiasm and leadership shine bright, just like her warm smile. She is a volunteer social worker who promotes the development of Women’s Self-Help groups in the community, and the local government appointed her as the point person for the Women and Children’s Affairs Department.
The ripple effect of women’s self-help groups is transformative to women, their families, and the larger community- women gain confidence, leadership skills, growth (Ediget!), and a sense of solidarity, contributing to positive social changes within their communities.