ETH 13 - EMMAUS SHELTER: A SAFE HAVEN TO REGENERATE
Project Location
The project is carried out in Addis Ababa, in a peripheral area of the city called Yeka Michael Sub City, which every day becomes more populated and flooded with unemployed people looking for a job. In front of the house of the missionary nuns there are several containers converted into small shops where bread, coffee, tea and fruit are sold, frequented by several young people who come from the countryside in search of work and means of survival.
In particular, the girls arrive in Addis Ababa with many dreams in their hearts that they are unable to realize, thus increasing the already very large bands of existing poverty. These situations penalize especially the girls who, very often, become victims of human trafficking or victims of sexual abuse, ending up on the street perhaps with children to look after.
According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) report, as of May 2024, there were 3,306,693 internally displaced persons in Ethiopia. Therefore, this country continues to be one of the countries with the largest populations of internally displaced persons due to conflict, drought, social tensions, violence, and floods.
Furthermore, the Horn of Africa is characterized by a long history of intra- and inter-regional population movements and complex migration dynamics through regular and irregular channels. Eritrea, Somalia, and Ethiopia are the most common countries of origin in the region, both for international trafficking and smuggling. Ethiopia is a major source of irregular migration for men, women, and children exposed to situations of exploitation or subjected to abuse, kidnapping, and extortion during the journey or at their final destinations.
Project description
In the rapid and profound change of Ethiopian society, conditions of economic, political and social difficulties emerge daily that particularly affect young girls. Many of them emigrate to Arab countries, while others come to the city to work. Many of these girls are often abused in the same families where they work, thus ending up being victims of human trafficking or sexual abuse that often lead to unwanted pregnancies, as well as being kicked out of their jobs.
In order to help these girls, the Emmaus Shelter was born, which offers a reception service for single mothers that lasts from three to six months. During this period, the girls live in the shelter and learn to take care of the child and to love him, while they follow small programs that enrich them with professional skills.
Particular emphasis is placed on physical, psychological, and spiritual rehabilitation and their reintegration into society, teaching them crafts so they can sell their products at the local market and facilitating their learning of skills and abilities in various areas such as cooking, pastry making, hairdressing and makeup, babysitting, childcare, computers, English, web design, and more. The girls are helped to find ways to access both financial and human support, before leaving the shelter to reintegrate into their native society.
Objectives
- Assist young women and their children who need a space to regenerate, heal and start a new life, offering them food, shelter and medical services when necessary.
- Offer girls short vocational courses to learn skills and abilities in various fields that can help them find decent jobs and become financially self-sufficient once they leave the shelter.
- Offer emotional and human support to victims of violence.
Beneficiaries
Direct: the 20 women who will be guests of this family home and their children. The girls' ages range from 17 to 35.
Indirect: their families and the entire society
Referent sisters: sr Yamileth Bolaños and sr Tilde Ravasi
Project's costs