Zenebu Belete, aged 37, was born in 1989 in a peasant village called Wogere, located in Menz Lalo Woreda of North Shoa Zone. Although there was a government school near her village, she was denied access to education by her parents due to the traditional beliefs and practices of the community, which severely disadvantaged girls and women living in rural areas of Ethiopia.
In accordance with the traditions of her community, Zenebu was forced to marry at the age of 20. Later, she gave birth to her first daughter, whose arrival brought great joy and happiness to the family.
Unfortunately, ten years ago, her second daughter, Yegile Belete, was born with multiple impairments, including intellectual disability and visual impairment, due to unknown causes. This situation brought profound hardship to Zenebu’s life and eventually led to divorce from her husband after the impairments of their child became apparent.
Following the divorce, Zenebu attempted to reintegrate into her parents’ household and live together with her daughter despite numerous hardships and challenges. However, realizing that her family was unwilling to accommodate a child with multiple impairments, she decided to move to a nearby small town called Molalie.
There, she began an independent life while caring for her daughter and supporting herself through daily labor work. However, she later discovered that the town was too small and sparsely populated to provide consistent employment opportunities. As a result, in 2022, she moved once again—this time to Debrebirihan town—in search of better opportunities for work and survival.
Upon arriving in Debrebirihan, she rented a small residence and began struggling to support herself and her daughter. During this time, she learned from her landlords about HPDO and the support services it provides for persons with disabilities. She immediately visited the branch office and met with the organization’s staff.
Considering the multiple challenges faced by both Zenebu and her daughter, the organization’s CBR workers facilitated access to ophthalmic services for her daughter, which helped prevent further deterioration of her vision. In addition, the organization supported her daughter to enroll in Zerayakob Primary School and begin her education.
Furthermore, in 2023, Zenebu was selected to participate in HPDO’s Income-Generating Activities (IGA) support program. After completing short-term training on entrepreneurship skills and receiving start-up capital, she began a small tea and coffee business, which brought renewed hope for a better future.
Zenebu reported that she has now succeeded in securing a kiosk and expanding her business into a small-scale restaurant service.
Finally, Zenebu expressed her heartfelt gratitude to HPDO for its unreserved support, which enabled her to become self-reliant and free herself from dependency on others. She also shared her future aspirations, explaining that she plans to further expand the quality and size of her business, remarry, and raise more children.
