Sharing Dreams In Ethiopia
Sharing Dreams In Ethiopia
Nyawech dreams of becoming a pharmacist. 
Nyakul dreams of becoming a teacher 
Nyaditek dreams of becoming a banker. 
Nyaluak dreams of becoming a teacher. 
Nyakan dreams of becoming President. 
Nyamere dreams of becoming a teacher. 
Nyaded dreams of becoming a doctor. 
Nyaluak dreams of becoming a teacher. 
Nyajube dreams of becoming a doctor. 
Nyamuoch dreams of becoming an accountant. 
Nyamal dreams of becoming a doctor. 
Nyabile dreams of becoming a doctor. 
Nyadima dreams of becoming a doctor. 
Nyayany dreams of becoming a risk and disaster manager. 
Nyamal dreams of becoming a teacher. Nyabile dreams of becoming a doctor. 
The girls attend a learning session. 
Where the girls meet for sessions. 
The girls playing volleyball.
Written by Lamech Mutava, Communications Officer
In six refugee camps in Gambella, Ethiopia, International Medical Corps provides services to prevent and help victims recover from gender-based violence (GBV).
Within each of the camps, vulnerable women and girls visit women-friendly centres every day to receive much-needed services, including psychosocial support.
Adolescent girls even have a separate section where they can meet and discuss issues affecting them, as well as socialise and build their social networks.
In the quest to make the centre a fun place, and with the encouragement of International Medical Corps’ GBV response team, the girls formed a volleyball team. Members of the team meet twice a week to play, after attending a session where they discuss issues affecting them.
“We love meeting here because we get a lot of information from International Medical Corps officers,” says Nyaditek, the captain of the volleyball team. “The safe space is a nice place because we can express ourselves freely and discuss issues affecting us, without fear. After receiving training from International Medical Corps team, we usually reach out to our friends in the camps and share the lessons with them.”
Most of these girls did not have an opportunity to go to school at an early age. They grew up during a time when they and their family were fleeing war from South Sudan and seeking safe haven in Ethiopia.
Their parents often marry them off at an early age, which affects their chances of studying and achieving their dreams. But despite many challenges, they still hope to become people who can transform their world and help others like them.