Helping those who are unable to work due to age or health problems is one of Awra Amba’s early principles. Why is this? Because we are not material possessions: we are human beings.
We simply believe that taking care of people is the responsibility of people themselves. We are not material possessions: then material possessions become old, they become useless, and they are thrown away. When people get older and less able to work, they should not be discarded like material goods.
One for all, all for one
In Awra Amba, the problems of one are the problems of all. No one has to fear old age, illness, lack of food, clothing, or any other need as long as the community can provide for them.
The elderly and handicapped are taken care of by the community, as the elderly are considered to have contributed not only to their families but also to the community through their work.
Lewegen Derash: Our charity fund
Every Tuesday, community members participate in spinning, weaving, collecting firewood, and building huts for the needy. The money from the weekly charity day goes into a fund called Lewegen Derash.
This fund is used to help people who are unable to work, to provide treatment for the sick who have no money, to provide educational materials for children, and sometimes to help people living outside the community who are facing serious problems.
Lewegen Derash also helps those who have no home due to poverty and those whose home has been destroyed due to unforeseen circumstances. The beneficiaries of this fund are identified by the problem identification committee.
After identifying the people with serious problems, this committee reports to the Weekly Development Committee. The Weekly Development Committee decides how much to donate for this purpose and also makes the donation.
When the capital of Lewegen Derash increases, the idea is that it would support people in need around the world (like a charity). But for now, Lewegen Derash is only enough to support a few people who have serious problems and live outside the community.
In addition to the weekly fundraising efforts of the community members, the entrance fee collected from visitors is also donated to Lewegen Derash.
How the Lewegen Deresh works
The community provides support for those who are unable to work due to age and health problems. The Elderly Care Committee uses funds raised by Lewegen Derash to provide food, clothing and shelter for the elderly. They are provided with meals at regular intervals throughout the day.
Their homes are cleaned every day. They are bathed every three days and their clothes are washed every week. This allows them to enjoy the rest of their lives in comfort and friendship.
Taking care of the orphans
In addition to caring for the elderly and sick, the community also cares for orphans. Like other children in the community, orphans are sent to school and provided with educational materials.
When they reach the age of 18, they have the right to decide how they want to live. If they want to live within the community as the community lives, they are welcome to stay. If they want to leave the community and make their own living outside, they can do so. The community doesn’t require them to stay just because they were raised here.
Health center and pharmacy
Community health is an area where education and access to health care play a key role. Awra Amba’s health center and pharmacy are part of the cooperative and are located in the center of the village. It is open every weekday from 8 am to 5 pm, with a nurse and a doctor on duty.
The health center provides first aid and treatment for common illnesses that do not require hospitalization. It also provides family planning and childbirth services.
Like the other facilities in Awra Amba, it serves the people of the village and the neighboring villages. Patients pay for the visit and medicines. If hospitalization is necessary and the patient cannot pay, the community pays.
Prevention
Prior to access to treatment, curative and preventive measures are essential and particularly well followed in Awra Amba, whose members are well informed about the modes of transmission of parasitic diseases and have adequate health education.
Sport activities
Physical fitness is very important to all Awra Amba residents. The most played sport — by children, youth and adults — within the community is football: we have three men’s football teams and three women’s football teams. The other sport that many residents are passionate about — as you can see on the following pages — is acrobatic gymnastics.
