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| Donated sheep assists Ethiopian mother, child |
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ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia — Eight-year-old Temesgen Amalge and his mother Kerealem Siyum live in the Yilmana Densa District of Ethiopia, nearly 400 miles north of the capital, Addis Ababa.
Kerealem is a daily laborer. She makes a living by cooking injera (an Ethiopian staple) and earns about 100 Birr – or $7.70 U.S. dollars - per month.
“This income is everything for me and my child. It is a house rent, food, clothing and the like,” said Kerealem, 25.
“Life is extremely harsh for me and my child. We are not lucky to see and use the good things this world is bearing for the others. Rather I and my child are here to taste the bitter fruit the world bears. As my income is too little to cover our month-to-month food expenses, I have to always visit my friends at home to borrow some money to secure our life.
“Asking people for a loan is disgusting and a shame.”
Children are often drawn to things that their friends own, and Temesgen is the same. “Whenever he observes new things like - trousers or pullovers on his friends - he comes and asks me to buy for him,” Kerealem said.
“As a mother I wish him to have those things, yet sometimes I couldn’t afford his food. So I feel ashamed and cry hiding myself from him.”
Realizing the depth of this family poverty, World Vision has registered Temesgen for child sponsorship. Since then, he has received writing materials and a bag from World Vision. Recently World Vision Hong Kong has granted about $30,000 for Yilmana Densa ADP that would be used for purchasing sheep, goats and milk cows for the poorest of the poor. About 140 children benefited from this gift catalog.
Temesgen is one of the beneficiaries of this gift catalog. He has received four sheep (three female and one male). Two of the sheep have given birth (one with twins), and the other is expecting.
Temesgen is happy about receiving the sheep. He takes good care of them. He wakes them up in the morning and feeds the sheep. Then he opens the barn and takes them out to graze.. At midday, when the sheep are thirsty, he provides them with fresh water.
“Hereafter, I won’t be worrying about writing materials and clothes. Whenever these things run out, I will sell and buy whatever I want,” he said proudly. “When my sheep breed and become many, I will sell some and construct a house for my mom as we are living in a rented house. I will also sell some of them and give money to my mom when she needs some money.”
He is a student and was promoted to the third grade this year. Math is his favorite subject. He says,
“I like math,” Temesgen explained. “When I grow up, I would like to be a math teacher.”
He also likes football (soccer) much and plays with his friends at school and after school on his spare time.
“I had never had any kind of farm animals before in life. Thanks to World Vision, we have now about seven sheep. I hope that they will breed and will become our future hope. May God bless those people who donated us the sheep,” exclaimed Kerealem.
Temesgen added, “Thank you World Vision for giving me these sheep.” |
| 10/14/2010 |
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