Hiwet* was born in a suburb of Bahir Dar in northern Ethiopia. Her parents died when she was young and she went to live with her grandparents, but when she turned 15, she moved to Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa, in search of work.
She found a position as a domestic worker, but soon faced challenges including poor pay and unsafe living conditions. She returned north to Bahir Dar, hoping for a fresh start. But she ended up living on the streets of the city.
She was living in this poverty for about a year, without receiving any help. Then one day she was cruelly raped. She gave birth to a baby boy, Abai* and at this point some local people helped Hiwet to move into a small house in the city, where she was able to raise her child.
She experienced poor mental health, and had no access to the healthcare and support that she needed. Over the next five years, Hiwet was sexually exploited as several men took advantage of her situation.
This was not a safe environment for Abai, and so, aged just nine, he left home and went to work in a slum. He often went without food. On several occasions, members of the community and passers-by intervened to stop human traffickers from exploiting him.
One of Hope for Justice’s outreach workers found Abai on the streets and invited him into the care of our Lighthouse.
At this time, the child’s case manager identified that his mother was unable to provide basic support for him. This was because Hiwet was experiencing severe mental health problems as well as trauma from her past.
Thankfully, Hope for Justice was able to find Government-run accommodation and support for Abai. He has been enrolled at school – he can now benefit from the education he deserves. He is excelling in his studies.
One of our social workers formed a care plan for Abai and looked for a service provider to assist his mother. A local institution was able to provide restorative care and mental health support for her. Two years on, Hiwet’s mental health has improved significantly, and she has been able to return safely to her home.
A member of our team said: “Over the past year, several members of our staff have worked tirelessly to provide this mother with the appropriate support needed to restore her life. With God’s help, thanks to Hope for Justice and our partners, she is now on a path to recovery and has been able to return home. We were able to reunite her with her son, who was under the care of our Lighthouse. This is just one story of how modern slavery has affected a family. There are thousands more who require tailored interventions so that their lives can be restored.”
*Name changed to protect identity of the survivor
Learn to spot the signs of modern slavery, including sexual exploitation and domestic servitude.
