Elsa and Million: Resilience and Hope

Fifteen years ago, Elsa and Abraham* fell in love and built a life together in Ethiopia. They married and had three children, working odd jobs to support their growing family. Neither of them knew that Abraham was HIV-positive when they met. Elsa eventually contracted the virus and, tragically, lost Abraham six years ago to complications from HIV/AIDS. She has since faced the immense challenge of raising their three children alone. Despite these hardships, Elsa’s story is one of resilience and perseverance.

Her eldest son, Million, is a bright and curious student with a gift for mathematics and a passion for technology. Thanks to your support, Million began learning to code last year at Lelt’s VoLo Computer Lab. Starting with block-based programming, he created simple games by modifying projects he saw on YouTube with guidance from his instructor, Getahun Fikadu. He’s now beginning to learn Python and web programming—laying the foundation for a promising future in tech.

Million, left, with his IT teacher, Getahun

Meanwhile, Elsa continues to work hard for her children. She receives life-saving medication through a local HIV support program and works as a janitor to support her family. She has also joined Lelt’s business training forum, where she’s gaining the skills and confidence to launch her own bread-baking business with a micro-loan from Lelt.

Elsa and Million with Lelt's social worker, Dawit Hussein

Thanks to donors like you, families like Elsa’s are not just surviving—they're thriving. With access to education, healthcare, and economic opportunity, the cycle of poverty is being broken one family at a time. Thank you for being part of their journey.

Million, center, playing soccer with friends at Lelt's community center

*names have been changed to protect the privacy of Lelt’s beneficiaries