Abebech Disa’s mossy foot disease started before her husband died. Fortunately, someone told her that she could get treatment at the Hobicha Mossy Foot Clinic. Abebech attended the clinic regularly and improved rapidly. For an uneducated woman in Ethiopia, her hope of a good life depended mainly on her husband. When Abebech suddenly became a widow with a six-year-old daughter and five-year-old son, her life became really challenging.
Abebech had no relatives to help her. How would she feed her two little ones, and how would she be able to afford to send them to school? She spent most days gathering wood and cutting grass that she sold for a meager income to feed her family.
Every day it seemed that their little grass house leaned a little more. It was collapsing. There were big gaps in the walls that let in the cold night air and rain, leaving muddy puddles on the dirt floor. Abebech and her son and daughter huddled together at night on a little mat trying to stay warm. They were terrified as the hyenas howled close to their house, afraid that they might come through the holes in the walls. Desperate, not knowing where to turn, Abebech went to the Mossy Foot Clinic workers.
“Please help me. My house is leaning more and more. I’m afraid that the house will collapse on my children and me. There are holes in the wall. We hear the hyenas howling close by at night. I’m terrified that one night a hyena will snatch one of my children.” Abebech cried.
The workers rallied the community to collaborate with the Mossy Foot Project to build a safe house for Abebech’s family. Mossy Foot provided a carpenter to coordinate and oversee the building, provided the roofing, door, window, and hardware. The church, local community, and neighbors teamed with Mossy Foot to provide the timber, labor, and mudding (for plaster).
Please consider making an extra contribution to help us supply housing for ten Mossy Foot widows who are waiting for safe housing. The total cost of building a house is $900.
Your help can make such a difference in the life of these women and their children. We are deeply appreciative for every gift.