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Want to Give Meaningful Gifts to Transform Children’s Lives?

17.02.2020
Dream for the Future
Youth Empowerment

Want to give meaningful gifts to transform children’s lives? When you give an Income-generating Gift with Dream for the Future, you can be assured that your money is being wisely and strategically spent to meet the needs of youth in our program.

 

When you give an Income-generating Gift, 100 percent of your donation goes to support DFTF’s Income-generating Program. And instead of giving the money directly to the youth, our local partners help the youth identify the best way to select an income-generating tool that will provide long-term, life-changing solutions.

Wondimu's story: Shoe shine tools

Hello, I am Wondimu and I am 19 years old. I live in Yirgalem, Ethiopia. Life here is uncomfortable for me because my mom is bed-ridden. Everything is difficult for us. Having little or no food to eat and insufficient clothing to wear has resulted in me having to drop out of school because I was absent too often. 

 

 

Now my life has improved and I have an income. I feel so happy again and this allows me to see a good future for myself. My work before required that I take shoeshine tools, carry jars containing 10 liters of milk and lift heavy objects. I also had to search for weddings so I could get any leftover food. I had to do all these things to sustain my life.

Now I am happy working as a shoe shiner! This is the best compared to what I used to have to do! My new job and income allow me to eat three meals per day and buy clothes. My dream job is to be a shop keeper because I can bring great change to society by selling different goods.

Dawit's story: A bicycle

Hello! This is Dawit. I live in Yirgalem, Ethiopia, a country located in the Horn of Africa. I live with my two sisters and mom. My mom suffers from mental illness. We live in a home of three square meters. Having such a small house is difficult. Finding food and water to drink and wash with daily is another challenge.

 

 

I was awaiting NGO’s support when a child named Dagim came looking for me with a message. He asked a boy nearby, “Is there a child called Dawit?” I heard the question and shouted, “Yep. I am here!” I went out to see the boy through the window and we later arrived together at a place where income-generating gifts are donated. Life was complex for me. There was minimal food to eat and even when we had food, we lacked the proper tools to prepare it to eat. I was a laborer. I worked in a furniture house. I used to carry heavy boxes, paint the boxes, load the boxes and other flat wood and then push the load using a handcart. I worked more than 8 hours per day, walked for 30 minutes four times each day, every day of the week. I would get very tired.

Meeting with Dream for the Future helped improve my life! I received the bicycle — an Income generation tool. Then my new vision for improvement began to feel real and possible. Now I am a student, but not the laborer. This is Dream for the Future Income Generation Program’s effect! I want to be a scientist so I can discover equations and then use them for inventions.

 Zeritu's story: A coffee shop

Hello, my name is Zeritu and I am seventeen years old. Nice to meet you. I live in Yirgalem, Ethiopia. I live in a society where I must get by with far less than what other children have here. My parents don’t make any money and my brother in mentally retarded causing him to be dependent on our family. 

 

 

When I was provided with a coffee shop through Dream for the Future Income Generation Program, I was very happy because prior to getting the shop, I had to walk two kilometers to find work. I used to mix water, sand, and cement to paste on walls. This work made me very tired so life was hard for me. 

 

Now that I have an income through my coffee shop to support myself, I have left the cement-mixing work and I am able to buy the supplies and food I need. My dream job is to work in an office. I want to be an office worker so I can make sure office issues are dealt with fairly.  

Yonas' story: Shoe shine tools

Hello, my name is Yonas and I am 14 years old. I live with my brother and mother in Yirgalem, Ethiopia. My mom works by making enjera bread, cleaning houses, and collecting wood to earn an income of 50 cents/day. Not working results in not eating. She has to work to pay for rent, our meals, medications, and clothing within the budget.

 

 

To everything, there is a season, meaning nothing lasts forever. Soon my hard times would end. My friend called me saying, “You, Yonas! Someone wants to meet you near the school!” I ran quickly and when I arrived at the school, I was given a gift that made me laugh with joy—shoe shining tools! Before receiving this gift, I was a carrier and loaded/unloaded items from cars. I used to carry a bag of flour that was made from maize and potatoes. I carried any items I could.

After receiving my shoe shining tools, many things changed for me. Now I earn enough income to sustain a good life. I used my income to buy pens, books, pay house rent, and eat two meals per day thanks to my donor! My dream job is to be a driver. I am interested in driving a car to help people reach their destination as fast as possible.

Tariku's story: A cow

Hello, my name is Tariku and I am 19 years old. I have a twin sibling. My mother is Tafesech and my father is Tamiru. My father is disabled and cannot walk, work, or move by himself so my mother and I must help him.

 

 

I received an unexpected gift from Dream for the Future’s Income Generation Program—a cow to rear! When I got the cow, I laughed and jumped with joy here and there! Before I received my cow, I used to have to farm. I used the farmland to harvest avocados, which was risky because avocados become soft quickly.

I no longer farm now that I have my cow to rear! I generate a better income much easier now! My dream job is to be a judge because I want to seek justice, which to me, means a right decision and a fair judgment for those in society who seek it. 

Thank you for changing children’s lives through DFTF’s Income-generating Program

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