When violent conflict erupted in Ethiopia’s Tigray region, Birhan fled her home — losing her business, experiencing hunger and fearing for the lives of her family members. Her HIV medication was the last thing on her mind.
Returning home months later, she felt hopeless. Both Birhan and her husband, Yirga, are living with HIV, which requires daily antiretroviral therapy (ART) — but they could not imagine restarting ART in the middle of recovering from the war.
Then they met social worker Manna Leake from FHI 360’s partner organization, the Organization for Social Services, Health and Development (OSSHD). Over time, Leake built trust, helped Birhan and her husband restart their ART, and connected them with small business loans.
Birhan and Yirga’s family is one of more than 10,300 families receiving services through the USAID Caring for Vulnerable Children Activity, funded by USAID and PEPFAR and implemented by FHI 360.
