2nd NVC workshop in Ethopia
Addis Abeba, 14th February 2018
After the workshop in Ghana I went to Addis in Ethiopia to meet another member of the Ruhpolding training, Tigist.
We both worked with 39 illiterate women from the country side.
In this project, they receive a microcredit of 30 € per person. They can build up their own little business, like planting vegetables, making soap, baking typical Ethiopian food.
They pay back 100% after half a year!
With the money they earn, they are able to support their family: their children go regularly to school, because they have a full lunchbox, they are clean and they gain self-esteem. Their mother is a business woman. Women power!
I did some training in NVC with them. This was not my easiest NVC event because many of the women cannot read or write and they speak Amharic. I had a translator who was not familiar with NVC.
To make them aware of any body sensations was the hardest part.
At the end they could distinguish between giving advice and listening.
If I realize that the children (in average 5) of 39 mothers now go to school, we can support with only 1170 € in total and bring 150 children regularly to school. With an education these children may see a different path for their future and well-being than getting 5 children themselves. They may get a job.
I love this work of combining microcredits with mothers and NVC trainings, the most sustainable work I did so far. I see a grass route change of parts of our society in it. It makes a lot of sense to me.
Please reply if you get inner reactions and want to share.