Meet Lemlem

Meet Lemlem
When we last wrote, members of the Selam Women’s Group were busy building
shelters to protect their sheep and goats from the sweltering sun, and supporting
each other in collecting what feed was available for their livestock.
May and June are the driest months in Ethiopia, with July normally signalling the
start of the rainy season. However this year, despite the rains arriving later than
usual, the women are still managing to provide for their livestock thanks to the
training they have received from Farm Africa.
At Farm Africa, we work with local partners to understand the specific issues faced by
farmers in every region in which we work. So here in Tigray we have trained the group
in how to keep their livestock healthy through prolonged dry spells. This ensures that
no matter the weather, the sheep and goats are healthy and happy, and can continue
providing a lifeline for all families involved.
All images © Farm Africa
Registered charity no. 326901
www.farmafrica.org/SponsorLivestock
SELAM WOMEN’S GROUP
GULDAME, TIGRAY, ETHIOPIA
SEPTEMBER 2015
Goats and sheep can provide farmers with a reliable
income, so they can provide for their families
“These sheep are now like my children - I need them as much as they need me”
Lemlem is one of the founding members of
the Selam Women’s Group, an achievement
that she is very proud of.
She is 61 years old and lives with her daughter
and her grandson in Guldame village. And
thanks to the support she has received from
Farm Africa, this once desperate mother is
now more than able to provide for her family.
Life, however, wasn’t always so comfortable
for Lemlem: with only one acre of land she
always struggled to grow enough food to
feed her family and have a surplus to sell
at market. She tried farming millet, maize
and sorghum, but due to the region’s arid
climate and rocky soil every harvest was a
disappointment. She had to supplement their
income by labouring on neighbours’ farms
and even had to resort to selling an ox, which
was a wedding present, at a time when things
were extremely desperate.
This was before she joined the Selam
Women’s Group. As a member, she received
three sheep from Farm Africa and the
necessary training to look after them. In Tigray,
short-haired sheep are frequently raised
alongside goats, and have the potential to
look after women such as Lemlem long into
the future.
Training provided to the women includes
everything from what to feed their sheep,
to housing and animal husbandry. And the
benefits of this training are clear: “I worked
hard at training and my sheep have done well
because of it. I now have five sheep, and will
soon give three lambs to a new member of
the group.”
The sheep have given Lemlem independence.
She no longer has to rely on her meagre
harvests or labouring to provide for her
family. And with her sheep breeding
successfully she has plans to sell some of
the lambs at market to pay for her children’s
education and health needs.
“I would like to thank Farm Africa
supporters for everything they have done for
me and my family. These sheep are now like
my children – I need them as much as they
need me.”
Lemlem and the other members of the Selam Women’s
Group meet regularly to attend training sessions, share
experiences, and support one another
Turn over to read more about how
group members are transforming
their families’ lives...
Meet Lemlem
When we last wrote, members of the Selam Women’s Group were busy building
shelters to protect their sheep and goats from the sweltering sun, and supporting
each other in collecting what feed was available for their livestock.
May and June are the driest months in Ethiopia, with July normally signalling the
start of the rainy season. However this year, despite the rains arriving later than
usual, the women are still managing to provide for their livestock thanks to the
training they have received from Farm Africa.
At Farm Africa, we work with local partners to understand the specific issues faced by
farmers in every region in which we work. So here in Tigray we have trained the group
in how to keep their livestock healthy through prolonged dry spells. This ensures that
no matter the weather, the sheep and goats are healthy and happy, and can continue
providing a lifeline for all families involved.
All images © Farm Africa
Registered charity no. 326901
www.farmafrica.org/SponsorLivestock