“We need psychosocial help like we need water"

A traumatic event

Hawa is a 40-year old single mother. Her eight children live with her in their one-room household and depend on her as their sole provider and caretaker.

“Hawa’s home once caught fire while she and her family were inside sleeping,” says Zelalem Ketema, Humanity & Inclusion (HI) project manager in Ethiopia. “They made it out alive - but before receiving support from HI, she had frequent nightmares and didn’t trust anyone new, as she thought they were trying to hurt her family. She was quiet and preferred to be alone. On occasion, she was even aggressive. She would carry her children out of the house on her back and guard them with a stick for defense.”

HI helped Hawa get the support she needed

With help from HI, Hawa received psychosocial support, including individual counseling, group consultations and psychosocial education sessions. She also received essential items such as laundry detergent, body soap, jerrycans, a basin and a 20-liter bucket for her family.   

Hawa says that individual counseling services saved her life and her situation has improved. She gradually began to interact with other people and develop a sense of trust for them. She also began attending group counseling sessions and sharing her story to help people in the community with similar situations.

A significant change

“After receiving individual and group counseling, a significant change in my life occurred,” Hawa says. “I used to believe that psychosocial support was just a joke, but now I see that it is medicine for people like me. My counselor once told me that we need psychosocial help like we need water daily. I really believe this is true, since the support has transformed me into a mother who cares for her children without worry.

I now communicate with others, trust them, and send the kids to school. Additionally, I routinely attend the Women and Child Friendly Space (Center of Medication). I sincerely appreciate everything the HI employees are doing.”

“The advice I give to community members who experience similar incidents is to seek information from the HI team, particularly psychosocial support, and I am happy to help anyone in the same way that HI has helped me.”