Society reunites family separated for 34 years
February 2, 2018Uncategorized
The Ethiopian Red Cross Society (ERCS) reunites a missing family since the crashing famine that happened in Ethiopia in 1984 on 13 January 2018. The restoration for the link of family took place at their original place which is Mawere Kebele in Lasta Woreda of North Wollo Zone, Amhara Regional State.
Tesfaye Assefa, Restoring Family Link (RFL) Officer at Woldya Branch, and who has been serving in the Ethiopian Red Cross Society for about 32 years stated “the case was very challenging and complex”. As to the RFL Officer, a woman requested to search for her younger brother in Lasta Woreda. Then, letters carrying information about her were distributed to 26 rural kebeles and, additionally, the case was announced on megaphone at market places where people came together. After tiresome efforts that took long time, her younger brother was found in Kobo, an elder one in Last and a sister in Gidan Woredas which are far apart (about 300 kilometers) with poor means of communication and fears cliffs to go on foot let alone any other means of transportation. The reunification took place in Lasta Woreda in the presence of the family members on the wedding day of her elder brother in law.
“It is like planting tree and eating its fruit now for the Society; it makes us forget every of the challenges we have encountered” Ato Tesfaye put forward at the end of the reunification.
Getaye Yemataw Tebeje, her elder brother, put forth about the case saying, “We were forced to dispersal due to worst famine and we did not have any information about each other since then. We have been bothering whether she was alive or passed away. But, now, I am so excited; can’t express my feeling.”
Mentahel Yemataw, the woman looking for her family, stated that she left her family at the age of 5 numbering 10 with other her age mates and taken to Akaki Esperance Protestant Mission. “I didn’t have any one on my side even during my delivery being ignored even by my husband’s family. I began worrying about what I will tell my children about my family in the future. But, now, I feel as I am reborn meeting my family after 34 years” she put forth. She expressed her great respect for the ERCS and decided together with her decision to be a member of the Society hereafter.
As she heard the work of ERCS in RFL, she went back to her childhood home and find out registered information about her younger brother from archive which enabled her induce the search, it is learnt.