Tadesse’s Journey

In the shade of Hitsats Primary School, nestled in the rocky hills of northwestern Tigray, Tadesse Tesfaye Abraham, a bright 13-year-old boy, looks happily at his new school bag. He is already excited about starting school. 

Having fled the violence during the Northern Conflict in 2020 from Mai Kadra, Western Tigray, Tadesse faced significant challenges including internal displacement, dropping out of school and hearing impairment. However, his unwavering determination combined with support from UNICEF and its partners, has led Tadesse to thrive in school.

Tadesse's journey to resume his education at Hitsats Primary School has not been easy. In 2020, he and his family were forced to flee to Northwestern Tigray. Unfortunately, both his father and one of his brothers lost their lives and the family had to leave.  After walking several days on foot, Tadesse and his family initially settled in Dedebit town. When an airstrike hit the camp for internally displaced people (IDP) they resided in, they were forced to move again, 20 kilometres away. They finally arrived at Hitsats IDP camp in Northwestern Tigray. While the camp was initially set up as an Eritrean refugee camp, the northern conflict disturbed the fragile situation and IDPs from Western Tigray started to settle in the damaged camp, following the eviction of the Eritrean refugees. While Tadesse and his family felt safe at the camp, the security situation in the surrounding areas was volatile. 

For the first two years following displacement, Tadesse did not resume his education due to school closure and stayed at home; a stark contrast with his previous routine in Western Tigray. Prior to the conflict, he attended class at Mai Kadra Primary School for two years, despite his partial sensory-neutral hearing loss, which resulted from a burning accident when he was five years old. While this impairment prevented him from fully hearing what was thought in class, sitting in the front row helped him understand better. But suddenly, it all disappeared with internal displacement.

Following the school's reopening in May 2023 after the Pretoria Peace Agreement, his sister, Mahlet, encouraged him to go back to school. Once Tadesse joined the local Hitsats Primary School, the management and teachers extended their support, allowing him to sit at the front desk and provided him with his own exercise book to catch up with learning at home. While very few students have textbooks in Tigray, this action enabled Tadesse to go through the daily learning after school hours, ensuring them follow the lessons’ outcomes.  Coupled with his sister's support, he was able to continue with his education as best as he could. "Mahlet is helpful and clever. She helps me with studying and to go over the lessons.” 

For Tadesse, a pivotal moment came when he received a hearing aid from Innovative Humanitarian Solutions (IHS), an Ethiopian NGO implementing a project for UNICEF funded by ECHO. The project aims to rebuild and strengthen social service systems to address the unmet education and protection needs of adolescent boys and girls in conflict-affected communities. This crucial support has enabled him to listen to the teachers just like his peers, without the need to catch up at home, or coming up with adaptation strategies. Tadesse is now thriving in class and enjoys learning amongst close to 3000 children (1,435 girls) attending Hitsats Primary School from the IDPs and host communities.

For Tadesse, hearing is not only essential for following lessons but also central to interacting with his peers. 

“My favorite part in school is the discussions we have with each other, especially after the exams, when we compare answers. Interacting and playing with my classmates and friends also allows me to forget the challenges my family and I are enduring.” 

This intervention is part of a broader set of education and child protection services under the ECHO-funded project, provided to vulnerable children like Tadesse. It includes mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS), case management, cash support, provision of temporary learning spaces, teacher training, refurbishment of combined desks and distribution of scholastic materials, to ensure that children can pursue their education in a conducive and safe environment.  

Tadesse was also identified by social workers as a vulnerable due to his living condition of disabilty and displacement which led to his household receiving 7,500 ETB (around 55 US$) to support key non-food items. Tadesse himself received hearing aids, a school bag with enough learning materials to cover the upcoming academic year, as well as counselling and was included in activities undertaken at a nearby child-friendly space. These activities helped him to resume his life free from trauma.

“My escape from Mai Kadra was a terrible experience. The support provided was a lifeline; it not only helped me to calm down, but allowed me to pursue my education, all of which are important to rebuild my life.”  

Under this project, over 500 children (335 girls), mostly from the IDP community, have attended this safe and nurturing space in Hitsats in parallel with their education. 

Tadesse has now been attending Hitsats Primary School for three years. Having completed grade 3 in June, he is set to start grade 4 in September and holds an impressive overall rank of 9 out of 67 students in his class. With his new school bags in hand, Tadesse looks forward to a bright future, eager to continue learning and fulfill his dream of becoming a pilot.

On behalf of the children, their families, and the communities served, UNICEF expresses its sincere appreciation for the generous contributions of the Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO). These contributions are instrumental in creating a brighter future for children like Tadesse to achieve their dreams and reach their full potential.