Voice from the field: Letebrihen Gidey, Ethiopia

Meet Letebrihen Gidey, 42, mother of three, resident of Medebay Zana village, Hekifen district, Ethiopia.

Letebrihen is a single parent, bringing up three kids on her own, two daughters aged 13 and 15, and a son who is 18. All three kids study in Medebay Zana Middle School and help their mother on their farm after school. Letebrihen’s big dream is to be able to see her children escape the cycle of poverty one day. She believes education is the way out for her kids and insists on them attending school regularly.

As part of a women development group, Letebrihen has attended Digital Green-enabled video screenings on local best practices and adopts relevant practices featured in these videos. One of the practices she has adopted is inter cropping of teff and tomato and line planting of maize. She watched the video and realized that although the new technique did require more effort than the traditional farming methods she is used to, the benefits are immense.

She recalls having mixed feelings after watching the video, excited about trying it and getting the same benefit as the farmer in the video and anxious to see the results. Letebrihen was convinced enough to practice the new farming technique with the help of her children just a week after watching the video. I was able to maximize my land use. This is the first time I produced tomato without using irrigation, as I took advantage of the rainy season. My income during this cropping season has gone up as well because of these two crops I planted simultaneously. I have basically doubled the land I once had, she says triumphantly.

She is a woman’s group leader and tries to empower and teach women what she knows about farming. However, the idea that she can reach more women to inspire and encourage has been an exciting one for her. Her progressive traits led the district level video production team to feature Letebrihen in one of the videos on integrated crops and livestock farming system.She says, I remember watching one of the first videos and being amazed at how I am able to learn from this farmer who lives far from where I live. So I am very happy that other people in another village will be listening to me and watching me. It is such a great opportunity to have.

Know more about Letebrihen and other inspiring individuals in Ethiopia whose lives we have touched