ALEM’S JOURNEY TOWARD ECONOMIC INDEPENDENCE
For more than 13 years, Alem (not her real name and changed to protect her identity) lived in an abusive and unstable marriage in Addis Ababa. A 32-year-old mother of two, she eventually decided to leave her husband after repeated traumatic incidents affected both her and her children. Leaving was a difficult decision, but Alem was determined to find a safer and more secure future for her family.
Starting again, however, came with its own challenges. As the sole caregiver, Alem struggled to meet basic needs, including housing, food, healthcare and her children’s education. With limited income and only occasional laundry work, she also faced the need to rebuild her own wellbeing while caring for her children. Both Alem and her children required psychosocial and medical support.
Through an CSIF Ethiopia project implemented by N4ED, Alem enrolled in a comprehensive package of support. She received case management, psychosocial counselling, medical support and temporary house rent assistance. Alongside this support, she participated in entrepreneurship training designed to strengthen her business management skills and confidence.
The support helped Alem begin looking beyond immediate survival and towards rebuilding her livelihood.
With seed capital provided through the Civil Society Innovation Fund (CSIF), she established a small business producing and distributing traditional food products, including shiro, berbere, injera and other locally demanded foods.
What started as a small business serving her local community gradually expanded. Alem began distributing her products to different areas, reaching as far as Moyale. As the business generated income, she reinvested part of her profits into other opportunities. She began purchasing shoes for resale and added shoe trading to her existing mini shop.
“The support gave me the opportunity to start again. Today, I can provide for my children, run my own business, and look to the future with confidence and hope.”
Today, Alem earns an average monthly profit of ETB 20,000–25,000. The income has become a more reliable source of support for her household, helping her meet family needs and support her children’s education while giving her greater ability to plan for the future.
For Alem, the change has been about more than starting a business. The combination of N4ED’s case management, psychosocial counselling, medical support, temporary rent assistance and entrepreneurship training, together with CSIF’s seed capital, helped her move from a period of crisis and economic dependence towards rebuilding her livelihood.
Her experience also demonstrates the value of linking protection and recovery support with economic empowerment. By addressing immediate needs while creating an opportunity to generate income, the support enabled Alem to take greater control of her livelihood and her family’s future. Both of her children are healthy and attending school.
Alem now plans to expand her production, reach more customers, diversify her products and further strengthen the financial stability of her business. Her journey shows how targeted support can help women and their families move beyond crisis and create new opportunities for a more secure future.
Partner CSO Name: N4ED
