Sometimes, a child does not need charity. She simply needs someone to stand beside her when her family has run out of options.
In 2022, a 17-year-old girl named Amriya came to us in Moyale with her mother, Zinash, carrying a story that we could not ignore.
Amriya had been living with congenital scoliosis, a condition present from birth that had severely affected her health and daily life. Doctors determined that she needed specialized surgery that was not available in Ethiopia.
For Amriya and her family, finding a doctor was only the beginning of an exhausting journey.
A mother who refused to give up
Amriya’s father had passed away, leaving Zinash to raise Amriya and her two other children on her own.
Zinash operated a small hotel to support her family. But as Amriya’s condition became more urgent, she had to put much of her time, energy, and limited resources into finding treatment for her daughter.
She travelled to Addis Ababa several times in search of medical advice and a solution. Eventually, through a referral from Black Lion Hospital, the family found an organization willing to sponsor Amriya’s surgery in Ghana.
It was a life-changing opportunity—but there was a major obstacle.
The sponsorship covered the surgery, but the family still needed to cover the costs of travelling within Ethiopia, accommodation in Addis Ababa, food, transportation, and other expenses during the lengthy medical process.
By then, Zinash had already spent almost everything she had.
Her small business was struggling. Her family had very little left. And yet she could not give up on her daughter.
When GWEDE was still finding its feet
In September 2022, Amriya and her mother found their way to Global Women Empowerment Development Ethiopia (GWEDE).
GWEDE itself was a young organization at the time, just beginning its journey and facing its own financial challenges.
But when we heard Amriya’s story, we believed that her circumstances should not determine her future.
We began fundraising.
Friends, supporters, and an organization in the United Kingdom, Spreading Kindness Together (SKT), came together to help.
Together, we raised approximately 100,000 ETB to support Amriya and her mother with the essential in-country costs associated with her treatment. This support enabled them to stay in Addis Ababa for almost three months while following up on the medical and travel arrangements.
It was not an easy journey. There were delays, uncertainty, financial pressure, and many moments when the family could have lost hope.
But they kept going.
And so did we.
A journey across borders
Eventually, the arrangements were completed and Amriya travelled to Ghana with the support of the sponsoring organization.
There, she underwent the surgery she had been waiting for.
The surgery was successful.
After treatment and recovery, Amriya returned home with a new sense of possibility.
For a family that had spent years facing uncertainty, the change was profound.
A young girl who once faced serious limitations because of her condition could now look forward to the future with hope.
From a medical journey to a new beginning
Today, Amriya is healthy and preparing for one of life’s most beautiful milestones.
Her wedding is next week.
When we look at Amriya today, we see more than a successful medical intervention.
We see a mother who refused to give up.
We see a young girl who was given another chance.
We see the power of community.
And we see what can happen when people and organizations come together to help a family at the moment when they need it most.
Amriya’s story began with illness, financial hardship, and uncertainty.
But it did not end there.
It became a story of courage, compassion, partnership, and hope.
There are many more Amriyas
Amriya’s story is not unique.
Across Ethiopia, many children, women, and families face serious medical conditions that require specialized treatment, sometimes outside their communities or even outside the country.
In many cases, treatment may be available or a sponsor may be found—but families still cannot afford the costs that surround treatment: transportation, accommodation, food, medical follow-up, and other essential expenses.
For poor and vulnerable families, these costs can be impossible.
Women may have to choose between caring for a sick child and feeding their other children. Mothers may sell their few remaining assets. Families may travel repeatedly to Addis Ababa searching for answers, only to return home because they cannot afford the next step.
And some never get the opportunity Amriya received.
This is why GWEDE wants to do more.
Help us reach the next child
Amriya’s journey inspired us to strengthen our commitment to supporting vulnerable children, women, and families who face life-changing health challenges but lack the resources to access the care they need.
We want to build a support initiative for children and mothers facing conditions such as congenital conditions requiring specialized treatment, obstetric fistula, and other serious medical needs, particularly among underserved and vulnerable communities.
Our goal is simple:
No child should lose her chance at a healthy future simply because her family is poor.
No mother should have to face a medical crisis alone because she cannot afford the journey to treatment.
No family should have to choose between seeking lifesaving care and putting food on the table.
Amriya’s story shows us what is possible when compassion becomes action.
Today, she is preparing for her wedding.
Tomorrow, there are other children and mothers waiting for their own chance at hope.
You can help us write the next story.
Your contribution can help a child reach a hospital, help a mother travel to receive treatment, provide accommodation during a long medical journey, or help a vulnerable family meet the essential costs that stand between them and the care they need.
Stand with GWEDE. Stand with mothers. Stand with children. Help us turn medical crises into stories of hope.
Because every child deserves a future—and every mother deserves a helping hand.