This Thing Called Hope

The first time I saw the moms at work in the Mothers' Cooperative, they were sitting in a semi-circle in the courtyard of the school. Wearing traditional garb, they were swathed in headscarves and long skirts. Each had a project, a necklace, earrings, or some jewelry item that they were working on. Some smiled at us, the American volunteers, but most were engrossed in their work, while keeping an eye on their children who were at recess. Of course, once we walked in, it was pandemonium for the kids -- they ran to greet us like long-lost friends.

While I watched the moms talking softly among themselves with their solemn, lined faces, I imagined all of them to be in their late 30s. Looks can be deceiving: most of them are in their 20s and early 30s, which is middle-aged in Ethiopia. Life expectancy is only 45.

As the week progressed, I learned some of their stories: most grew up in small villages. In the 1980s, when most of them were children, it was a time of great famine in Ethiopia. And so, as soon as they got into their teens, they moved to Addis Ababa, thinking it would be the land of opportunity. But there was no work, nor food, to be found. Most of them turned to prostitution as they only way of staying alive. And most got pregnant, and most got HIV.

That is one common thread that runs through their lives. But the other commonality is this: Through Fresh and Green they have been given back their dignity. Through the jewelry and craft sales, they are able to afford food for themselves and their children. Most importantly, the meals they are now able to provide qualify them to receive the life-saving anti-retroviral drugs that have turned AIDS from a fatal to a manageable disease. Muday holds weekly classes in health and hygiene and they have learned how to keep themselves and their families healthy and strong. They have formed a sisterhood of trust and friendship in a city where life can be very unforgiving. In short, they are thriving.

Fresh and Green seems to me to be a magical place. Through Muday's vision, the entire neighborhood of Keteme has been transformed. With your help, not only the students, but their mothers have been given this one invaluable thing called hope.