From Unemployment to Entrepreneurship
Aweke Sileshi, a 27‑year‑old father of three from Kotu Kebele, has turned struggle into opportunity. Once discouraged and skeptical about poultry farming, he has discovered new hope through the ORDA Ethiopia and UNICEF Denmark project. With training, support, and determination, he has transformed 50 chickens into a thriving business—and inspired others to follow his path. His journey proves that hard work and the right support have created lasting change for his family and community. Grateful to #UNICEF Denmark for the support.
In Aberensa village, DawaChefa woreda, Amhara Region, Yesuf Abdela and his wife Marifa Siraj faced extreme poverty, food insecurity, and child malnutrition. With no formal education and limited income from daily labor, their large family struggled to survive. But through ORDA Ethiopia and UNICEF’s nutrition-focused goat support project, they received three female goats—now a thriving herd of eleven. Goat milk has dramatically improved their children’s health, especially their youngest, and offered the family a path to sustainable livelihood. Yesuf now dreams of expanding his goat-rearing business and building a better future. .@UNICEF
The Burden of the Returnee
Meet Bizuaye Gulma, a 29 year old returnee from the Middle East whose journey has shown the power of resilience and support. Once overwhelmed by loneliness and uncertainty, she has rebuilt her life through the ORDA Ethiopia and UNICEF program. With chickens, seeds, and the strength of her savings group, she has turned despair into opportunity—feeding her family, earning income, and saving for a brighter future. Her story proves that with the right help, dreams have become possible. Grateful to UNICEF Denmark for the support. Read more
From missed goals on the pitch to hitting milestones on the farm—Zerihun is redefining what success looks like.
When conflict brought his football dream to a halt, he didn’t stand still—he started over. With support from the MaYEA Program, implemented by ORDA Ethiopia in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, Zerihun turned a small plot of land into a thriving source of income, growing papaya and tomatoes with determination and vision.
In less than a year, he repaid his loan, earned profit, and even opened a small shop for his wife—proving that resilience can rewrite any story.
“Farming was never my plan… now it’s my pride and my future.”
From uncertainty to independence—Zerihun’s journey shows that sometimes the best opportunities are the ones we never planned for.
#Mastercard Foundation #icipe, #PHE EC, BfDE # TWA #ORDA Ethiopia. Read more
🌱 From Seeds to Savings: The Journey of Ediget Group
Since June 2023, ORDA Ethiopia, Farm Africa, and donor SIDA have been implementing the NSSID Project in Bati, Kalu, and Werebabo. One standout success comes from the Ediget Vegetable Producer Group in Kombolcha City. With training, hybrid seeds, and the strength of their VESA savings group, members transformed 1.5 hectares into a flourishing farm—harvesting over 281 quintals of vegetables and earning ETB 656,000 in profit. More than income, they have cultivated savings, trust, and social cohesion, showing how nature-based solutions deliver lasting impact for families and communities. Thanks to SIDA & Farm Africa for making this possible
Read more: From Seeds to Savings: The Journey of Ediget Group