Make Way Ethiopia
.The Make Way group in Ethiopia is an all-women team. Its members are diverse, with experts in health service delivery, advocacy, gender and curriculum development. The team not only has a considerable amount of vital work experience, but also has a strong passion for health equality. It is this mutual commitment that makes the work we do together as team members so effective, while fostering solidarity and promoting support to one another. So whenever one team member encounters a challenge of any kind, we’re all there to share the load.
“We work together, and we support each other. There are no reservations about sharing information.”
Frehiwot Takele, member of Make Way Ethiopia
In Ethiopia, the weak infrastructure, limited distribution systems, and poor service quality have hindered universal access to healthcare services (Woldemichael, et.al). The country has limited resources. It is also a society with oppressive social norms, as well as misconceptions about different minoritised groups. All this means that if any Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) services are available, it is extremely difficult for women, people with disabilities, and female sex workers to get access to them.
The overall focus of Make Way Ethiopia is to improve the country’s policy environment for effective implementation of SRH services for minoritised young people. By building the capacities of its collaborating partners, the programme aims to facilitate the advocacy done to make SRH services better. And to make these services available for sex workers, people with disabilities, and out-of-school youth, as well as for young, internally displaced people, in Addis Ababa, Oromia, Afar, Tigray and Amhara.
“The health care providers are not willing to treat sex workers. They don’t even ask the proper questions or listen to us. They tell us we don’t know anything when we tell them about medication side effects.”
Sex worker in Addis Ababa
Make Way coordinator in Ethiopia
VSO Netherlands
Collaborating partners
- Ethiopian Women with Disabilities National Association (EWDNA)
- Ethiopian Youth Federation
- Nikat Charitable Association
- Redeem The Generation
- Timret Lehiwot Ethiopia
- Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA)
- Organization for Development of Women and Children in Ethiopia (ODwACE)
