For years, Firew Madebo, Tseganesh Firew father, struggled to provide the most basic necessities for his family. He is a people with disability. He has hearing and talking problem. Without a steady income, the dream of sending his daughter, Tseganesh, to school felt like an impossible luxury.

The turning point came when Firew was enrolled in a child sponsorship project. This initiative provided more than just financial aid; it offered a holistic “lifeline” that reshaped their entire future.

The project brought immediate and long-term changes to their lives:

The most profound impact of this sponsorship is seen in Tseganesh. No longer had a child left behind, she is now a Grade 2 student who recently ranked among the top of her peers in a local educational competition. With her uniforms, nutrition, and materials secured, her only job is to learning and she is doing exactly that.

Asnakech Adimasu, wife of Firew got income generating activity (IGA) training through the program and shared the idea for her husband Firew by local sign language. Firew, once sidelined by his disability, discovered his hands were his greatest tools. He began manufacturing custom woodwork, selling local tables and chairs in the Wolaita Sodo market. Asnakech also started a vegetable-selling business. This their struggle creating a dual-income household that turned “struggle” into “stability.” The sponsorship project provided essential sanitary materials such as soap and nutritional assistance, ensuring that chronic health issues no longer stood in the way of the family’s health progress.

A Future Full of Hope

Today, the “heavy weight” of constant worry has been replaced by self-sufficiency. Firew no longer sees himself only as a “struggler” but as a provider who can ensure his children have opportunities he never had. For Tseganesh, the sponsorship didn’t just put her in a classroom; it set her on a different life path, far removed from the cycle of poverty.