The Oasis Foundation
Grace Village
Ethiopia

Oasis' Splash
July 2008, Volume 1, Issue 3 (pdf - Print Version)

Tseada Amba / Kelakil

A community of nearly one thousand six hundred people, an illness that has killed whole families, children (like this one) and adults with swollen bellies, and despair written across their faces. Heartbreak...

In May and June Imperial College, London sent teams first to investigate possible schistosomiasis (bilharzia) and then an eminent liver specialist came to check the liver disease. What has been concluded is that the illness affecting this population is not schistosomiasis or veno-occlusive disease of the liver. So by process of elimination we hope to reach a solution.

At present we have started to treat those affected, giving medication to children and draining the abdominal fluid build up in adults. A weekly visit to the site, careful records and extra nutrition is what we can do.

The Tigray Health Bureau has loaned us an ambulance for this project. Imperial College London is continuing their professional involvement. However, we need funding to help pay for the fuel, the salaries of the driver, the nurse and the health officer. The health officer will be in charge of the ongoing activities of this tragic community.

The Oasis Foundation Ethiopia having started to assist these most vulnerable and marginalized cannot now step back and say we have done enough, the people now rely on us as they have never done before. We are known by name, we live in the area we are now family.

Grace Village

We watched with very special pride as children went up to receive awards from the local school, some second place others third place in large classes and even sections. These are children who don’t have mothers and fathers, some who have seen their parents die and a few who have watched their siblings die. Others have never known their parents and still others know no other home but Grace Village. We are family and we love them as parents and we are pleased at how hard they have worked.

It is now holiday time, the rainy season when school is closed. Each older child has a chore these include tutoring the younger children, going into Shire to learn to improve their English, learning cooking from Berhanie and helping the nurse with exercises for Yonas and Kashay or helping the cowhand with the cattle.

Extra study time means children can catch up on weak subject. Then of course there is sports, football remains a firm favourite for all! A walk with one of the adults is also fun, time to talk over some thought or heartache especially if it is alone with some favourite ‘mama’.

We hope to buy four sets of bunk beds to stop the squeeze in the bedrooms and gradually we would like to replace all the old beds with bunk beds freeing up much need space.

Yesterday one month old Rahel arrived, mother died and now she has Wobete to mother her!

Development

Your husband has died or left you, you have his children, and little else... The options are the streets or suicide or begging. These women headed householders are so very vulnerable, we see their children at Grace Village, the abandoned, the orphan.

It is for these that places such as Adigidat, becomes a haven, truly a placed filled with hope. The Women’s Affairs Office in Shire asked us to help create a farm for these women, thirty in each project and we have started to help.

The land is segmented in crops rotation, vegetable growing and orchard these last two become marketable items. The women have asked male relatives to help with ploughing with a yoke of oxen and the rest they have done themselves!

The Oasis Foundation has fenced the land and dug the wells and guided the women with our agricultural agent Gebre Mehdin. He loves the work and we are enjoying hearing stories about the work! Great!

Health

Whether it is HIV, or childbirth injury or simply a child with a cut or a rash our Bethel Centre nurse is there to help. She does physiotherapy on two of our children and quietly gets on the raising awareness in the neighbouring villages regarding clean birth of obstructed labour.

We happily work amongst these beautiful and lovely children and people;
you give without the hug or the smile that is true generosity!
Thank you so much!