Little by little: Rebuilding homes and a sense of safety in Ethiopia

Bethelihem is just 17 years old, yet she carries the weight of her entire household on her shoulders.

After losing her parents to natural causes, she became the head of her family, raising her two younger siblings in a small dilapidated tukul (a small traditional hut with walls made of mud or stone) on the outskirts of May Tsebri, northern Ethiopia.

Humanitarian needs in the area are high, exacerbated by years of conflict and instability. Many people lack access to water and other basic services, like health care. Many have no place to live, or their homes are in no condition to host large families.

When humanitarian assistance reached her community, Bethelihem’s household was among those selected for shelter rehabilitation support. Her tukul is extremely old and fragile – the mud walls are cracked, the roof leaks when it rains and the structure barely shields them from the cold winds, nor can it protect them from unwelcome intruders, especially at night.

With funding from the OCHA-managed Ethiopia Humanitarian Fund (EHF), she received shelter repair kits and household essentials from MCMDO, a local non-governmental organization. A few days later, she was busy overseeing the repairs – a determined young girl trying to rebuild not just her house, but her family’s sense of safety and dignity.

“I’m trying to fix it little by little; I would not have been able to afford these materials myself,” she said.

For Bethelihem, like for many residents of remote villages, such support has significant impact on their lives and their overall well-being.

Despite immense struggles at such a young age, Bethelihem’s resilience is striking. She continues to engage in daily labour activities such as firewood sale, fetching water and washing clothes for people to earn income for her family. She also continues to attend community meetings, where she represents her family in the absence of an adult, in addition to teaching her siblings what she knows while dreaming of a better future for them.

Bethelihem’s story is a reminder that behind every humanitarian intervention are people like her, determined to stand tall despite all odds.

YOU CAN HELP

In 2024 and 2025, the Ethiopia Humanitarian Fund allocated US$4.1 million to five multi-sectoral and two single sector projects run by national and international non-governmental organizations in May Tsebri alone. More than 167,000 people received agriculture and livelihood support; health, education and nutrition services; assistance with water, sanitation and hygiene; and different forms of protection services.

Your continued support could help us reach thousands more like them across the country. If you would like to donate, please go here.

Posted January 2026.

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