Orphaned, Poor, and Hungry in Ethiopia

Today Tigist is making it on her own as an entrepreneur, thanks to sponsorship — and you!

Becoming an orphan is unimaginable for any child. But when Tigist and her brother lost their parents to cancer and tuberculosis, they also faced extreme poverty and starvation. They grew up struggling to survive.

Now 17, Tigist shares a cramped, one-room home with her brother and his family in Axum. Half of his monthly salary as a security guard goes to rent — the rest to food and other essentials, not nearly enough for this family of five.

But one day — because you care — they received a gift that would change everything.

In 2019, Tigist decided to start a small business with her brother selling cereal. But she needed money to buy inventory. Thanks to your generosity, they qualified for a $765 grant from Wide Horizons For Children. More than 100 empowerment grants averaging $800 each have been given to families like Tigist’s through sponsorship since 2016.

As it turns out, the timing couldn’t have been better! The price of cereal jumped significantly, and they made a good profit on their investment right away.

Today… less than a year later… Tigist and her brother are considering expanding their business. She can now afford to stay in school, and hopes to become an eye doctor one day.

The years to come are now filled with promise — all because of you.