03/03/2013
Esther* is a 70 year old woman, who
lost two of her daughters to HIV. She now cares for one of her double orphaned
grandchildren, aged 17. Her grandchildren from her other deceased daughter live
with the family of their father. She has another daughter who lives with them,
and her children aged 3, 5 and 22 – their father is unaccounted for.
OSSA only supports Esther and her 17
year old grandchild directly, they receive educational support and a small
amount of money monthly (200Birr, £7) to cover the rent of her Kebele home
which is 60birr per month and their food costs. Her surviving daughter works as
a daily worker, and her grandson works laying cobble stones for the city
administration.
Esther has to rely on OSSA as she is
too elderly and sickly to work herself, and while her daughter and grandson
work, they cannot support the six of them who are living together on their own.
While we were visiting Esther, her
youngest grandchild aged 3 was truly frightened by myself and Alex, thinking we
were ghosts due to our fair skin, she cried and hid from us for the duration!
Kx
*names have been changed to protect
identity
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