Country
Ethiopia
Project
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Gadise Ramato Tashita is a 45-year-old widow and woman farmer living in Boye Awarkasa Kebele, Siraro Woreda, in Ethiopia’s Oromia Region. After losing her husband, Gadise was left alone to care for her four children in an area frequently affected by drought. With very limited land and repeated crop failures, providing food for her family became an everyday struggle.
“Life was very hard after my husband died,” Gadise says. “My land was small, the rain often failed, and I could not produce enough food for my children.” For a long time, her family survived with difficulty. She did not own livestock and had no stable source of income. Many days passed without certainty about the next meal. This began to change when Gadise was selected to receive multipurpose cash assistance through a drought response project implemented by Positive Action for Development (PAD), with the funding from Ethiopian Humanitarian Fund. “When I was told I was selected, I cried with joy,” she recalls. “I could not believe the support had finally reached my home.” Gadise received the cash assistance in three installments. She used the first payment to meet her family’s most urgent needs, including food. With the second installment, she made a careful decision that would change her future. Instead of spending all the money, she bought a female goat. When the third installment arrived, she purchased another goat with its offspring. Today, Gadise owns five goats. For the first time in years, her children drink milk every morning and evening. “Except Rabbi (God), who knows that my children drink milk each day?” she says with a smile. “Now my children have food and hope.” The goats have become more than livestock. They represent dignity, resilience, and a pathway toward self-reliance. Gadise now plans to grow her herd, invest in her children’s education, and one day buy a cow to commercialize its diary. “I will use this opportunity to become self-sufficient,” she says. “When you come back, you will find my children healthy and going to school.” Gadise’s story shows how investing in women farmers through timely, flexible support can help families recover from crisis, strengthen food security, and build lasting resilience. |