I had no expectation or hope for my life. …Now I want to change my country. I want to be in parliament! I was stunned when I heard this. I have visited the Tearfund Ireland Self Help Group (SHG) project a number of times. I routinely meet women who have gone through the SHG and who describe their personal transformation out of poverty into economic independence; out of hopelessness into a bright hope for their future; and out of feeling helpless to being confident they can make a difference in their community. I am familiar with these stories. Mind you, I never tire of them. I am fuelled by them! These stories are the result of an incredibly successful programme of sustainable development. Tearfund Ireland’s SHG work goes beyond mere charity. We are helping facilitate individual transformation that encourages women to look for ways to carry that change into their communities. The SHG structure addresses multi-dimensional poverty and encourages societal transformation from the grass-roots level. I love hearing the individual stories of change because each one is unique. Each woman has a family, a circle of friends, a community that benefits from her individual story. Each woman can relay the depth from which she’s travelled, and her journey of change is deep, transformative, and compelling. But on this particular day, I was introduced to Haimanot. Her confidence and clear conviction was evident. Women of Ethiopia are strong women – formidable is a word that comes to mind. Of all the SHG participants I’ve met, Haimanot is among those who exemplify this strength. As she told her story, it was clear the other women of the group held her in high regard. Listening to the translator I tried to keep up with the unfolding depth of Haimanot’s conviction and desire to bring change to her community. Then I heard the words, “I want to be in Parliament.” I was surprised. Interrupting the translator, I asked her to seek clarification from Haimanot. I had never heard anyone from the SHG describe such high aspiration. Bring benefit to others in her community? Yes. Bring change to societal systems? Yes. But have ambition for the national legislature? I have never come across it. I was amazed! When Haimanot heard my translated question she fixed her eyes on me. With a sharpness that felt like a grandmother’s loving correction she asked why I seem surprised. “Is this not what you have shown us? …that we can change our country?” Then she smiled. Ouch! The rebuke was quick and sharp. I was humbled. She was right. The SHG model encourages ambitious dreams. In it, we ask people to identify the needs of their community and look for ways to address those needs. Haimanot had been transformed through the SHG structure. Through her involvement in the next level of the programme, she mentored women from her role as a leader at the Cluster Level. Now, she is advocating for societal change in her role at the Federation Level, the highest level within the Self Help Group structure. She has experienced change, and she has influenced change. But, aware of changes that still need to be made, she has decided she is the one who can represent her community in the nation’s legislative body. Photo: Haimanot with the Irish Minister of State for International Development, Minister Neale Richmond Credit: Sean Copeland, Tearfund Ireland Last week the Irish Minister of State for International Development visited one of Tearfund Ireland project locations in Ethiopia. This was the Federation Level Association in which Haimanot is a leader. As the visit was winding to a close, before the Minister left, I briefly explained Haimanot’s desire to be in parliament and asked if he would mind taking a photograph with her. The Minister happily obliged. After the Minister left, I showed Haimanot the photograph on my phone and her eyes displayed a pride and what I interpreted as a confirmation of her motivation. I have seen with my own eyes how the women who come through the SHG are transforming their communities. Now, I look for day when women like Haimanot will represent their communities in the national legislature and bring transformation to her nation.

Polycrises. This is a term used by the international development sector to describe the multiple crises facing our world.