Sofia Asfa and Her 79 Colleagues

When we look, we see them. Let’s zoom in on Ethiopia. Women are there, every single day. They send their children to school. They walk for miles to fetch water. Where there is construction, they carry the building materials. And when given the chance, they think entrepreneurially.

“The women in Africa are truly inspiring. They are strong-willed, seemingly tireless. We see that they don’t just want to keep their families afloat, but to fundamentally improve their lives,” says Gabriele Janssen Pizzecco, Managing Director of the association World Doctors Italy.

A proof of this? The Dakuna women's project in the Gurage zone, 200 km south of Addis Ababa. Since 2022, the project has been led by Kenyan sisters Josephine and Lydia from the Missionary Community of Saint Paul the Apostle. World Doctors Italy financed the construction of the center. Together with the Diocese of Emdibir, the project is being further developed. Economically speaking, many small start-ups are being created here.

The goal is clear: to provide women with a secure income. The project especially encourages young mothers to participate. Sofia Asfa, a mother of five children from the village of Zara, has been part of it from the very beginning. "I am so grateful to work together with other women. It gives me strength and enables my children to attend school."

Those who join want to grow. The women receive training in making baskets, sleeping mats, shopping bags, and other everyday products used in Ethiopia. A starting budget helps them sell their items at local markets. And there is potential for more – the women are already developing attractive beaded jewelry.

Eighty women from three villages in the Dakuna Zone are fully engaged. But word of success is spreading. Another 80 women are waiting for a place. As soon as funding is secured, the project will open its doors to them as well.

However, before that can happen, electricity and water supply must be completed. A wastewater tank, toilets, and a fence to ensure a safe working environment are still missing.

Your donation counts. It is an investment. Every day, we see it – just a little push, and these women take their lives into their own hands.

This is help that lasts.

Our donation accounts:

• Volksbank: IBAN IT 95 U05856 11601 050570000333
• Südtiroler Sparkasse: IBAN IT 35 E06045 11600 000005003779
• Raiffeisenkasse: IBAN IT 25 U08081 11610 000306005349