Shelley & Helmy's Ethiopia Trip 2024: Mothers' Savings Groups

During Helmy and Shelley's time in Ethiopia, they visited with three of the mothers in the Girls Gotta Run Mothers’ Savings Groups. They learned how the women are taught to save and how through small loans, the mothers are able to start and grow small businesses.

Abebech is 42 and has three children. Her daughter Bethlehem is a Girls Gotta Run Athletic Scholar. Abebech worked in her brother's shop until she had her two younger children and then could not leave them to go to work. For 10 years, their family was reliant on the father's income as a daily labourer. That limited income has been reduced significantly due to the economy and decreasing demand for daily labourers.

Feeding their family had become very difficult. Since starting with the Mothers’ Saving Group, Abebech has been able to take small loans to start an avocado sandwich business. She was never able to save any money before - she didn't even think it was possible. But now, thanks to the Girls Gotta Run Mothers Group, she is able to save to pay back the two loans she has taken from the group's savings and is able to provide adequate food and care for her children.

She told Helmy and Shelley that in the Mothers Group she is learning about the reproductive system, how to parent and how to cope through difficult times. The support the group members provide one another is very helpful. Her children and husband see how hard she is working and they are proud of her and thankful for the difference it has made in their family.

"I feel very proud that I can provide for my family and that I can use my own money to support a friend in need. This gives me confidence," Abebech said.

Her daughter Bethlehem also helps her mom in the business when she is not in school. Bethlehem told us: “I like this business because it has reduced my mom's worry about how she will provide food and pay for school fees." Bethlehem said she thinks her mom is happier now and doesn't worry out loud anymore.

When Shelley asked if their relationship had changed at all since her mother was in the Mothers Group, Bethlehem said "there is a big difference in our relationship because in the past, I had to miss school and take care of my younger brothers so my mom could go and look for work. I have learned a lot because my mom has persisted even through all the challenges she has faced. I have learned that I will be able to succeed in a better way through learning, working and following what I have learned from my mom.”

Shelley & Helmy's Ethiopia Trip 2024: Mother's Groups

Helmy and Shelley’s first day in Soddo (after the early morning race in Arba Minch) was a special time with two mothers and their daughters who are in the Girls Gotta Run Foundation (GGRF) and the GGRF Mothers Groups.

The story behind these mothers and daughters is long, and when Shelley first met them, they were in a very desperate state. Over the past five years, the mothers have become able to support themselves and their daughters, their health is now good, the girls were accepted into the GGRF program at an early age at our request and are being educated, fed and their confidence is building.

The mothers are in the Mothers Savings Group and have learned so much. One of the mothers told us that she has never belonged to any social group or had friends. Now, she feels supported, knows she belongs somewhere and understands she and her daughter have value. Another mother explained that she had never been taught how to be a good parent. Through the teachings in the GGRF Mothers Group and watching how others were caring for her daughter, she realized she needed to do better. She and her daughter now have a much better and loving relationship. She said that in the past no one ever thought she and her daughter would accomplish anything and now she knows they can both accomplish a lot.

When the mothers were recalling their past, the desperation, helplessness, stress and pure emotion was palpable - even listening in a language Helmy and Shelley don’t understand. The mothers and young girls were in tears sharing the desperation of that time in their lives. An individual donor from Mothers with a Heart for Ethiopia, MWAHFE as an organization, and Girls Gotta Run made these outcomes possible. Change does not happen overnight, but hearing where these families are today - and looking back to when Shelley first met them - was very emotional and made the trip to Ethiopia all worthwhile.

Shelley & Helmy's Ethiopia Trip 2024: Girls Gotta Run Race

Helmy and Shelley were invited to attend a huge race in Arba Minch, where 10 athletic scholars from Girls Gotta Run were competing.

Two of the girls ran in a top division and placed very well! Hundreds of people came out to participate in the race. To warm up, they danced and had a great time.

It was a fun intro to Ethiopia for Helmy.

Check out the photos of the 10 girls who competed, Girls Gotta Run program manager Kidist Daniel and Coach Amsale.

Thank you to Kidist and Amsale for investing so much into the girls to help them build confidence, life skills and a hope for the future.

We have huge news!

Remember the jaw-dropping $83,000 that we raised at Gems & Java? We have some exciting news to share about where some of those funds are headed.

If you’ve been following our Girls Gotta Run profiles this summer, you know just how powerful an impact that program can have on a young lady in Ethiopia. We began by sponsoring five athletic scholars, and we’ve spoken to those lovely girls about how the program has enriched their day-to-day – helping them get the nutrition, exercise, knowledge and friendship that they need to live whole, happy lives and dream for the future.

But now we are going to touch even more lives. We are so excited to announce that we will now be sponsoring 22 athletic scholars through the Girls Gotta Run Foundation! That’s right – TWENTY TWO!

Check out this post for all the details about the Girls Gotta Run Foundation. An athletic scholarship provides one young lady with everything from running equipment to healthy meals to life skills classes to medical care. The program even includes the girls' mothers, inviting them to learn about financial literacy and form a savings group.

Suffice it to say, this is an organization working hard to create sustainable change in Ethiopia, and we are proud to be a partner.

Meet Yeurosalem!

When she grows up, Yeurosalem is going to be the best runner in the world – oh, and a surgeon, too.

Athletic scholar Yeurosalem.

And her parents are her biggest cheerleaders. Yeurosalem’s mom and dad are committed to getting their daughter a good education. Two years ago, when times were tough, Yeuroalem’s mom, Aynalew, spoke to the principal to see if there was any help the family could receive.

“I need her to have a higher education. Even now, she has more knowledge than me," Aynalew said.

Aynalew said she would do anything she could to keep her daughter in school, even cut back on her own meals to save money.

Luckily, she didn't have to.

That’s when Yeurosalem joined Girls Gotta Run.

Aynalew is so proud of the work that her daughter is doing with school and sport.

She doesn’t want to influence her daughter’s future career choice – she’s behind Yeurosalem no matter what.

Yeurosalem at school with her mom, Aynalew

And Girls Gotta Run has offered confidence and a sense of empowerment.

“This program means big impact in my life,” Yeurosalem told us.

Watching her friends in Girls Gotta Run helped demonstrate to Yeurosalem the power of a group of strong and ambitious young people.

“They can solve problems together – not because we are females together, but because we have the potential,” she said.

Yeurosalem loves math and English. But she’s also an avid athlete. And growing up with three sisters and two brothers, she had lots of siblings with whom to play soccer.

All that activity takes fuel. Before Girls Gotta Run, it was tough for Yeurosalem’s family to scrape together a lunch to send with her to school.

They worried she might get sick and be forced to miss class.

Now, she has three meals a day – and even a snack after practice. 

Aynalew hopes her daughter will pay it forward.

“I raised them with a lot of suffering. I wish they will have a better life and that they will help others, because they have received help.”

Meet Biruk!

Before Biruk started Girls Gotta Run, she didn’t hear many people talking about the accomplishments or power of female Ethiopians.

“I didn’t get the chance to know about women’s potential,” she said.

Now she’s exposed to an almost daily dose of girl power inspiration.

Biruk, one of the athletic scholars MWAHFE sponsors through the Girls Gotta Run Foundation

The life skills lessons, the practices – and the fun! – she gets through Girls Gotta Run have allowed her to develop friendships, too.

When she’s not running, Biruk’s favourite subject is geography.

She wants to go to university one day, and dreams of being a journalist. She wants to give back to Ethiopia.

“We need to help the rural area.”

Biruk walks about 15 minutes to school every day. She is so thankful to be a part of Girls Gotta Run, where she can count on a healthy snack – her favourite thing to eat after practice is a banana – and running clothes and shoes to help fuel her passion.

“I feel better in my health. I’m getting stronger every day.”

— Biruk

But Biruk loved running long before she became an athletic scholar.

“I love the exercising,” she said. “I feel better in my health. I’m getting stronger every day.”

Meet Dagmarit!

Exercise can change everything.

Running helps Dagmarit feel strong and confident. She's one of our sponsored athletic scholars through Girls Gotta Run.

“I am very thankful for this program,” she said. “I was so happy to join this group.”

The three workouts she does with her Girls Gotta Run teammates each week leave Dagmarit feeling healthy.

“The exercise and sport is good for everyone.”

— Dagmarit

But those practices also help the girls bond. They put everyone in a better mood and improve their behaviour off the track.

“The exercise and sport is good for everyone,” Dagmarit said.

And the life skills lessons in the program help her learn about topics that wouldn’t be discussed in the classroom – everything from healthy relationships to hygiene.

Those sessions empower the athletic scholars.

“I know myself, even,” she said.

Because she shares the experience with several dozen other young ladies, there’s a strong sense of camaraderie.

Dagmarit, a quiet young lady, feels comfortable asking anything and everything without getting shy.

Before the program, she didn’t have many friends. But that all changed when she joined Girls Gotta Run. And Dagmarit’s family is happy to know she has those relationships in her life.

When she's behind a desk, Dagmarit enjoys studying math and physics. She hopes to one day be a pilot.

We can't wait to see how high she flies!

Meet Yenealem!

Before Girls Gotta Run, Yenealem didn’t have many friends to count on.

After joining the program, that all changed. Not only did she build relationships and develop social skills, she created deep and meaningful friendships.

“Now, I have many best friends,” she said.

The life skills programming helped her learn about to talk with her peers how to share love with friends and community.

Yenealem saw a physical transformation, too.

Athletic activity used to leave her winded and tired. Now she can run sprints, through practices, and around the schoolyard.

“Before, I was very tired when I did a minute of sports. Now I can run for a very long time,” she said.

And the athletic scholarship that Mothers with a Heart for Ethiopia provides makes it possible for Yenealem to get a good education. Her favourite subjects are physics and chemistry.

Before Girls Gotta Run, Yenealem’s mom was trying to support many children and pay tuition for her school-age siblings. It was getting to be too much. But thanks to the scholarship, Yenealem can continue to get a good education. Her mom hopes it will lead her daughter to “a higher place” in her future.

“Before, I was very tired when I did a minute of sports. Now I can run for a very long time. - Yenealem”