A vision of justice

(From left) Hannah Tesfamasiam, Janet Bridge, Meselu Merhawit, Jen Jones and Letyesus share their love of making quilts [CAFOD]

An Ethiopian nun and CAFOD partner has urged international leaders to take bolder actions to help bring equality and justice to the world

Sister Medhin Tesfay works as coordinator for the Daughters of Charity, a health and social organisation based in an urban area of Tigray.

"I hope to see a world where people are treated equally, where there is justice," she said.

"But in order to see that dream realised I would hope that the international community would really work more to support the poorest of the poor, not just with aid but with development programmes."

The Daughters of Charity runs a range of projects including clinics, kindergartens, women development programmes, housing projects and street children programmes.

From relief to development

Set up in 1973 in response to the famine, the organisation has been shifting in the last three or four years from relief to development work.

"I would like to tell CAFOD supporters that according to my own experience, the support we are getting from CAFOD is reaching the grassroots and getting to the people for whom it’s sent.

"I would like to reassure them of that on behalf of my own congregation, I know that I can confidently speak about it.

"In terms of what supporters themselves can do, I would urge them to dedicate and commit themselves even more generously and lovingly to these causes because the reward of it is great and we recognise that, working at the grassroots level."

Inspired to work with the poor

Sister Medhin herself was brought up in a rural area of Tigray and remembers that she was inspired by Catholic sisters working in her area to devote her life to working with poor people.

"I wanted to give myself and my life to the poor. I was very impressed by the kind of services the sisters gave. I had a desire to do that in my life."

At the age of 18 Sister Medhin joined the Daughters of Charity, a CAFOD partner with 93 staff, 14 of whom are sisters.

Sister Medhin is now coordinator of health, education and social and development projects in Tigray.

Rewarding work

"I like working with people, I don’t enjoy office work much. I go out and work with the street children, providing them with basic needs as well as education.

"The work is very rewarding, especially when I think of the kind of background these children would have had. They would have still been on the streets where they ended up because of poverty, family disintegration or displacement due to conflict or war. When they come into the towns they are often abused sexually or physically.

"Our society considers those children to be a burden and they are outcast. So to be able to work with them and give them some opportunities is very important.

Giving opportunities to children

"For the first time this year, three children from our projects have gone to university. About eight of them are also in private colleges which are expensive but which equip them with skills and vocational training so they can go and get jobs.

"One of them got a driving licence and is married with a family, he taught me to drive.

"Many of the children stay in touch and often ask what they can do to help – we always maintain those connections.

"The fact that we help the poorest of the poor means we have to have a holistic approach. If we are helping a child with education, they will also need help with food and shelter, which is difficult because of financial constraints."

The Daughters of Charity wruns 11 projects: four clinics, three kindergartens, two hostels for girls, two women development programmes, a housing project, and a street children programme.

It also runs various other social and pastoral programmes for the elderly, supporting the physically disabled, assisting women with post-childbirth fistula problems, prison ministry and pastoral programmes.

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