Tsehay, a 32-year-old single mother of five, once lived a peaceful life in Western Tigray. Her days were filled with happiness—running her own restaurant in Dansha town, caring for her children, and dreaming of a brighter future for them. However, when the Tigray war erupted, everything changed.
One night, as violence reached her village, she was forced to flee with her children. With no time to gather belongings, they walked for days in search of safety. They eventually arrived at the Wukro Vision IDP camp, exhausted and empty-handed.
“I left my home with nothing but my children. I didn’t know if we would survive,” she recalls.
At the camp, Tsehay and her children faced harsh conditions—lack of food, clean water, and sleeping materials. She struggled to feed her children, who were already weak from hunger and trauma
ChildFund, throgh the Project JF-FS& CPiE provided her with cash support, sleeping materials, counseling and emotional support for trauma recovery, as well as continuous training on important topics such as child protection, stress management, self-care, and nutrition.
Initially, Tsehay felt hopeless. But with regular support and counseling, she gradually began to regain her strength. She used the cash support to start a small tea and bread-selling business in-side the camp. Every morning, she prepared food and sold it to other displaced families, earning enough to buy extra food and clothes for her children.
“For the first time since the war, I felt like I had control over my life again,” she says
Her children, who had stopped attending school, were eventually able to return to the classroom. Over time, Tsehay became a leader among displaced women, organizing support groups and advocating for better conditions in the camp.
Her journey highlights the silent struggles of displaced mothers in conflict zones. With the right support, women like her not only survive but also become pillars of resilience in their community-ties. Finally, she expressed gratitude for the support she received from this project :
“This support helped me stand on my own feet. Now, I can take care of my children.”
This publication was produced with the financial support of the German Humanitarian Assistance
Its contents are the sole responsibility of Joining Forces and do not necessarily reflect the views of the German Humanitarian Assistance.