Story summary

Selam*, 16, is a fifth-grade student who fled her hometown two years ago due to fighting in her home in Adigoshu   Tigray region. She is currently separated from her father and lives in a camp for  Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) with her eldest sister in a confined classroom in a school in Adigrat, Tigray region.

Strong quotes

 "Save the children was our family's substitute over the past two years when we were going through rough times."

“You did not forget about us. We appreciate your efforts in rallying the international community to assist us in the face of adversity.”

“We want to be reunited with our family”

“We appreciate that you did not forget us but embraced us even more”

“We appreciate you treating us like we were a part of your family.”

“Thank you.”

How Save the Children is helping

Save the Children established and operates the Child Friendly Spaces (CFS) with funding from USAID-BHA. At the CFS, we provide psychosocial support to children by encouraging them to express their feelings through various games and role plays. Through its BHA-funded project, Save the Children has established and operates four child-friendly spaces in four IDP locations, reaching over 3,000 preschoolers and children aged 12 to 17 in the Tigray Region.

Interviewee’s story in their own words

Selam* lives with her eldest sister in an IDP camp in Adigrat. Selam* and her sister fled their home town Adigoshu when the conflict took their mothers' life. Selam recalls that her sister and herself scared for their own life and escaped from the area. 

They were extremely hungry when they got in Adigrat and had nowhere to go or anyone to look after them. On the streets of Adigrat town, they were begging for food. The elder sister of Selam* began working as a domestic worker, but the employer was so verbally abusive that she could no longer stand working there, so they moved to the IDP camp, which was formerly a school.

Selam* was distressed when we met her because other kids her age were attending school, whereas the conflict had taken away both her life and her dream. Selam recounts that three years ago, when she missed her first day of class because of COVID 19, since then things quickly changed and the dispute broke out.

 Selam* is appreciative of the support Save the Children offers to her and other kids in similar situations. Selam* hopes to return home, be reunited with her father, and continue her education like other kids if the current state of the peace holds.

Children at the Child Friendly Center participated in indoor and outdoor activities like drawing, informal education, and story reading as well as sports like football, volleyball, and tennis. Since the majority of the children were separated from their families and went through trauma and suffering, the CFS also offers psychosocial support.

Background / Project information:

-          We established four Child-Friendly Spaces in Tigray and reached more than 3,000 children with recreational, educational and child protection services.

-          We provided psychosocial support through case management for the children.

-          We are distributing Food and nonfood items.

-          We are working on tracing of separated families and reuniting children with their family

-          We organize child resilience workshops at the IDP camps that we run in which children and  host community are involved.