The last two days I have visited all three Adoption Ministry 1:27 project areas in Addis Ababa. The days have been full from morning to night and I have heard incredible stories of both heartbreak and victory. I have put in miles and miles of walking along back roads, down narrow alleys, and striding across open fields to visit the families cared for by this life-altering ministry. Some visits were to get updates on living conditions and to assess needs, but the majority of my time has been spent talking to women about starting a small business and how that would look for them.
Nine months ago, Anchinaleu received money from her sponsor to start an injera baking business, and she is doing so well!
Injera is Ethiopian cultural bread that is made from teff, Ethiopia’s wheat, and is mixed with hot water and then left in big vats to ferment.
Once it is fermented, it is baked on a large round griddle fueled with wood or electricity and is a staple of every Ethiopian’s diet. Injera is full of iron and is also gluten free.
Anchinaleu is an energetic and optimistic woman who has tackled her business opportunity with vigor and bakes 100 pieces of injera a day selling them to three small restaurants. She makes $15 a day. So far, she has managed to save more than half of the money she needs to repay the small loan given for her business start-up. That is incredible!
She is optimistic for her future and would like to move to a larger house that could incorporate a separate place for her injera fermenting vats and stove.
I have been very encouraged with the eagerness of the women I have interviewed. They intend to work hard and want to be successful at providing an honest living for their families. We have now received the correct license from the Ethiopian government to move into this realm of small financing. Our business managers are putting together business plans for the women and we will then seek financing for them. Stay tuned!
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