Netsa, a 28‑year‑old woman from Oromiya, Ethiopia, grew up in a family of four siblings. Her childhood was marked by hardship: when she was just ten, her parents separated, and she was taken to Addis Ababa by her aunt under the promise of receiving an education. Instead, she was burdened with heavy household work. Though she managed to attend school for a time, the pressure eventually forced her to drop out in ninth grade. Alone and desperate, she ended up on the streets.
A stranger’s compassion gave her temporary shelter as a domestic helper, but soon she was drawn into hotel hospitality work through a broker. It was there that she fell in love, became pregnant, and was abandoned by the father of her child. Fired from her job while expecting, Netsa struggled to survive with her newborn son. With no steady income and mounting pressure, she turned to prostitution on the advice of a friend. For five years, this became her reality.
Life in prostitution exposed Netsa to violence, exploitation, and deep emotional wounds. She endured physical abuse, an unintended pregnancy that ended in abortion, and the crushing weight of guilt. To numb the pain and find courage, she turned to alcohol, developing an addiction. Cut off from her family and education, she battled loneliness and feelings of inferiority. Her health suffered, with frequent headaches, and her spirit was weighed down by remorse.
Her turning point came through Ellilta that reached her during night visits. Through the support, Netsa began to heal. She overcame her alcohol dependency, worked through her guilt, and started preparing to forgive her aunt the person whose broken promise had set her on a difficult path. With EWAR’s guidance, she enrolled in vocational training in hairdressing, and today she supplements her training by taking on extra jobs like laundry and cleaning.
