Response Updates

An Inspiration to Empower Women

Reported by Convoy of Hope

By Hal Donaldson

In 1969, my parents’ automobile was hit by a drunken driver. My father was killed, and my mother was seriously injured. Suddenly, my mother became a single parent and began looking for a job to support the family.

She did not have a college education or formal training. She wanted to care for her children but she found it difficult to find employment that provided adequate compensation. Although I was just a boy, I remember her leaving the house day after day to search for a job. She was determined that her family would not stay on welfare forever.

Finally, she was offered a temporary position which eventually led to full-time employment. That was one of the greatest moments of her life.

In countries like Ethiopia, Convoy of Hope’s Women’s Empowerment initiative, which teaches women skills to earn and save money through job training, is giving women an opportunity to earn an income that enables them to feed their children. In essence, they are accomplishing what my mother did many years ago.

Many of these women have been abandoned and abused their entire lives. But finally, through Women’s Empowerment, they are being given a chance at a better life.

I’ve had the opportunity to visit some of the businesses these women have started. I wish you could see their smiles and hear their words of gratitude.

Because the women are being taught how to save a portion of their earnings, no longer will they be living in the streets or struggling to make ends meet. They have new skills and a greater understanding of business principles. As a result, their future is bright.

Thank you for caring and giving so Convoy of Hope can continue to meet the needs of women in places like Ethiopia, Tanzania, El Salvador and more.

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