I NEED A RESCUE TEAM WHO’LL MAKE “LOVE FOR ALL” TO SUCCEED.

Aster is a married woman with five children and two adopted children. She was born in Wonji, around 150 km far from Addis Ababa.

She is the founder of Fikir Hulegeb Maekel(Love For All Centre)

She started supporting them on year 2005. She has got license on year 2008. It was reregistered again under the agency on year 2009.

She is working on women and children. She gathers the prostitutes from the roads of Addis Ababa. She is the only one to teach them, in her own centre. She’s the counselor, and she had some trainer to show them how to make things. Her own income is just collected around families, friends and relatives. There was also a time she asked support from her church members. As she told me last night over the phone, she has given up. Sometimes she has nothing to feed them and she had to take portions of the food from her own families. To bring one prostitute from the streets, to make her believe you you’ll show her a way that change her life is not an easy thing. She struggled with her own way. She has ten women and their children which are expecting her support.

When I invited her last week to attend the training at Leina’s place, she said to me, “You came on the right time. I almost gave up. Nobody wants to help me anymore. I’m tempting to close it down.”

Amelework, who gave me Aster’s contact explained to me later; “Aster refused to come to World Pulse’s meeting, because everyone comes to her with empty promise. She struggled to keep her rehab and her supportive centre for about twelve years. I’m the one who encouraged her and made her come.”

All the ladies left Leina’s place with glowing face. They were all happy. When they left her house, they all say; “I’m happy to know you.” I was given such a big and warm hug from all of them. I didn’t know that it was such a good job to bring them to World Pulse. I’m very encouraged to invite new women for the next Wednesday meeting or training at Leina’s place.

Her centre takes 10 women/ year. And while they’re training the women, they do day care for their kids. She buys books, pencils, uniform and every important thing for the children. The house rent per year is 180,000.00 birr or $ 7500.00 and the turnover tax’ll be added on top of this.

This is such a hard work. The women who’re supported by her sometimes whispers; “She is using them to beg money from others using them. In Ethiopia many people suspect that. NGOs are big business for smart people who show pictures of poor people, and get big fund from Europe, Australia…etc. One German guy help her sometimes with something little. Last year she determined to shut it down, but another German lady offered to pay the rent for the whole year.

There was a day she begged her congregation to give her little money. The members fast once in a week, and she asked the little money for a very cheap breakfast.

Tea and bread costs, 5 birr and four days in a month will be sum up to 20 birr per month. That is less than 1.00 $, but nobody agreed to that. This morning, I call her and talk to her and promised her; “THERE’S STILL A HOPE, DON’T GIVE UP.”

I NEED A RESCUE TEAM WHO’LL MAKE “LOVE FOR ALL” TO SUCCEED.