The opportunity to thrive

Six-month-old Abiba lost her mother shortly after birth to postpartum complications. Since then, she has been cared for by her 16-year-old eldest sister and her widowed father. 

Reflecting on his daughter’s struggles, Abiba’s father shared: “My baby suffered from malnutrition because she couldn’t get the care her mother would have provided. We couldn’t give her what she needed to thrive. Soon, she developed persistent diarrhea, vomiting, and a respiratory infection with a severe cough. This led to acute malnutrition and other life-threatening complications.” 

Abiba was born in one of the most remote and underserved villages – a place without access to basic health services. This left her particularly vulnerable, depriving her of the lifesaving care she desperately needed. However, through JF-FS&CPiE’s community-based child protection system, Abiba was identified and rushed to a health facility where she received critical treatment. This intervention not only saved her life but gave her the opportunity to thrive. 

Despite the medical challenges she faced, Abiba received timely intervention at the local health facility. She was provided with the necessary nutritional support, including formula milk, and underwent close monitoring by a dedicated medical team. Thanks to this consistent care and assessment, Abiba’s recovery progressed rapidly, and she is now doing well. 

Through the project’s support, Abiba received a two-month supply of milk and other essential nutrients to maintain her health and well-being. This assistance will continue until she makes a full recovery, ensuring she has the best possible chance at long-term health. 

As Abiba’s father explained, “After three months of care and treatment, Abiba’s condition has significantly improved. The formula milk provided by the health staff worked like magic—it brought my daughter back to life. Beyond the supplies, they also taught us practical skills through a cooking demonstration, improving my ability to prepare nutritious meals for my youngest child. Now, I can make healthy supplementary food to keep her strong and thriving. With this new knowledge, I am confident I can provide Abiba with the nourishing meals she needs to grow up healthy and happy.” 

Baby Abiba is recovering quickly, thanks to the lifesaving assistance provided by the JF-FS&CPE project. Her siblings and father are overjoyed to see her regain her health and return to normalcy. Equipped with new knowledge and skills on how to prepare a nutritious meal for Abiba, Abiba’s father now has hope for a brighter future, one in which she can thrive despite the challenges ahead. 

However, this progress can only be sustained if support continues for some time, allowing their situation to stabilize. Abiba’s father remains hopeful that the necessary assistance will remain available until they can fully stand on their own. 

The JF-FS&CPIE Consortium project, funded by the German Federal Foreign Office (GFFO), aims to enhance protection for vulnerable children and adolescents (under 18) by improving access to quality child protection services, including prevention, mitigation, and response. 

The project strengthens community and local government capacities in the Wag Himra Zone of the Amhara Region, addressing the root causes of child protection risks. All interventions are community-based, ensuring sustainable impact. Through its Sekota Field Office, Save the Children executes the Joining Forces for Food Security and Child Protection in Emergency (JF-FS&CPIE) project across 

• Sekota Town (4 kebeles) 

• Sekota Zuriya Woreda (7 kebeles) 

• Ziquala Woreda (7 kebeles) 

A key intervention includes case management, multi-sectoral referrals, and cash assistance (where appropriate) for at-risk children, such as 

• Survivors of child marriage, child labor, or SGBV 

• Children with disabilities 

• Unaccompanied and separated children 

• Those in need of legal aid 

• Children in areas facing acute food insecurity 

So far, 17 children in JF-FS&CPiE’s Wag Himra intervention areas have been identified for case management support, receiving tailored services based on their specific vulnerabilities. 

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