The “Shelter for Single Mothers and their Children” project, promoted by the Salesian Sisters of the AES Province, is currently under development in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. It was created to provide a concrete and structured response to the challenges faced by many single mothers living in conditions of severe social, economic, and psychological vulnerability.
These women — often very young and with experiences of violence, abandonment, or social exclusion — live on the margins of society, without a safe place to stay and without opportunities to build a dignified future. The project aims to offer them not only accommodation, but a genuine pathway to social reintegration through an integrated approach combining housing support, vocational training, psychological assistance, and early childhood education services.
The shelter is being built within the existing Salesian complex, where educational facilities and technical training programs are already active. The intervention includes the construction and refurbishment of communal living areas (kitchen, laundry, common room), dormitories, sanitation facilities, and a day-care center for children. In this protected environment, mothers will be able to attend vocational courses — such as fashion design, ICT, and caregiving — while their children receive care and educational support in a safe and nurturing setting.
This initiative stands out for its holistic vision: it does not simply provide temporary relief, but empowers women to achieve autonomy and long-term resilience. Beneficiaries will gain access to professional skills enabling them to enter the job market and actively contribute to society. The sustainability of the shelter will also be supported through internal income-generating activities — such as the tailoring unit — designed to create employment opportunities and financial stability.
The project relies on strong collaboration with local institutions, including the Missionaries of Charity and the Women and Children’s Affairs Office of Lideta Sub-City, which help identify beneficiaries and carry out awareness campaigns on women’s rights and child protection.
Even during its implementation phase, the project is already demonstrating its positive impact — offering women not only a place to live, but a space for rebirth, where dignity, education, and inclusion can transform lives and foster lasting change.
Women’s empowerment means providing tools and opportunities to strengthen autonomy, skills, and active participation in society. Through training and concrete support, we help women become leading agents of change within their communities.
Direct beneficiaries
Total direct beneficiaries per year: 116 people
Indirect beneficiaries
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia’s capital, is the political, economic, and cultural heart of the country. With more than five million inhabitants, it is a rapidly expanding metropolis marked by strong social inequalities. It hosts the African Union and many international organizations, but it is also a major destination for internal migration, where many women and young people arrive seeking better opportunities.
Within this complex urban landscape, the Salesian Sisters operate across two missions, providing education, vocational training, and social assistance. Their work in Addis Ababa is especially crucial, as it addresses urgent needs in a city where many young women live in extreme vulnerability — often becoming victims of exploitation, violence, or abandonment after migrating in search of a better future.
With the goal of supporting basic education and vocational training, the Foundation invests in infrastructure and initiatives addressing educational challenges such as the empowerment of girls and women.
Each project is developed in collaboration with local communities and aims to promote education, personal growth, and sustainable development.
Support the mission of the Foundation
The Nuovo Fiore in Africa Foundation is recognized as a public utility organization, registered with the Federal Supervisory Authority, and all donations made are tax-deductible.
