In Ethiopia approximately 27 million people are living in poverty. Given the lack of access and control over resources and many discriminatory traditional customs, women comprise a majority of those living in absolute poverty. 

According to the United Nations, 75% percent of women are illiterate. Even though primary education is being promoted, early marriage of girls reduces their chance of having access to higher education (75% of Ethiopian girls marry before the age of 17 and approximately 13% between the ages of 17 and 21 years). The rate of female student dropouts is much higher than boys and girls are often responsible for many chores which may interfere with their schooling.

Women are responsible for all the household chores, in addition to the support they provide in agriculture and livestock production. The family arbitration system used for settling inter- household disputes is conducted mainly by older men who want to maintain the subordinate position of women and this results in application of gender-biased customary laws. The fact that women are often not well informed of their rights under the law further contributes to their being marginal.

Meet Sharon (click the image below)

Sharon is a MAI Missionary serving in Ethiopia. She has been serving on the mission field with MAI for over 12 years. God has given Sharon a burden for hurting people. She recently sent a special video introduction sharing why she feels compelled to do this type of ministry.

Come hear more from Sharon on Saturday, November 14th  from 10 am – 11 am PST via zoom for our Woman By God’s Design virtual event. She will be sharing more about ways God is transforming the lives of women in Ethiopia and even how marriages are being transformed as God is changing the hearts of husbands!

Click here for more details and registration.