Ebise Gudina arrived in Inango with four children under 10 and no job. She did the maths every night: the rent was more than she had, and the gap did not look like closing.
We can finally sleep in peace
"When we arrived in Inango, the rent was far beyond what I could afford. I was worried every day about how I would protect my four children and keep a roof over our heads," she says.
Beshatu Teresa arrived with her husband and two babies. They had each other and little else. The landlord's patience had a timeline they could not see and could not predict.
Meseret Yigezu came with her husband, her three-year-old, and her elderly mother. The child needed to be looked after. Her mother could not manage alone. Every affordable room was too small, and every room that was large enough was too expensive.
"I was terrified for my young child and elderly mother. We had nowhere to go and could not pay rent," says Meseret Yigezu.
Through the Cash for Rent intervention, funded by the Ethiopian Humanitarian Fund (EHF), the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) provided monthly rental assistance to displaced families in Lalo Asabi Woreda. The project prioritised households with specific vulnerabilities including people with disabilities, elderly members, female-headed families, pregnant and breastfeeding women, and families with young children. We also facilitated tenancy agreements with landlords, reducing the risk of eviction.
Ebise now has a weatherproof house. Her children come home from school to the same four walls every afternoon. She has stopped doing her daily arithmetic.
"I was completely overwhelmed trying to keep my four small children safe. This project changed our lives. My children have a safe roof over their heads, and we can finally sleep in peace,” she says.
Beshatu's family, meanwhile, now has a lease. The landlord's timeline is visible and fixed. Beshatu’s children sleep in a room that will be theirs for the next six months. "I didn't know how I would keep my two babies safe. This project made our rent affordable, gave my children a safe place to sleep, and restored our dignity,” says Beshatu.
Finally, Meseret's mother sits with her toddler in a house that can accommodate them. They are close to a health facility. Meseret does not spend the day calculating whether they will still be here next week. "When conflict forced us out of Forga Daleti, I was terrified for my little child and my elderly mother. This project saved my family from homelessness and gave us a safe place to heal," she says.
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