MumsForMums.com
Title
Mums for Mums: working with marginalised women in Tigray, Ethiopia, to eradicate poverty
Description
MUMS for MUMS is a young charity dedicated to working with women who are some of the most marginalized and forgotten people in Ethiopian society. In particular, it works with young single mothers and with people living with HIV and AIDS and their families. Its aim is to give hope where there is no hope. The MUMS for MUMS Association is located in the town of Mekelle, in the Tigray region of northern Ethiopia. From its beginnings of a skeleton of paid staff and some volunteers, it has grown to employ 19 paid staff. The volunteers are men and women who have come together to form the Association and also some local ex-pat development workers who volunteer in their spare time.
MUMS for MUMS was established in February 2001, and received legal recognition in May 2001. The initial purpose of the association was to address the problems of young, single, destitute mothers in Ethiopian society. The founding members did some research and found that there were many of these destitute mothers begging on the streets. There was not even the recognition in society that the problem existed. This is inevitable in a land where abject poverty is the norm rather than the exception.
The initial focus was on skills training for these mothers, with the aim of making them financially independent and thus able to get back on their feet. Some of the participants were trained to be HIV/AIDS counsellors. This led to a successful door-to-door campaign where the counsellors gave advice and raised awareness of HIV/AIDS.
