Partnership with Hope Beyond International

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Following our trustees’ visit to Hope Beyond International in Addis Ababa we are delighted to be establishing a new partnership with them. Hospice Ethiopia UK’s mission has always been to promote the provision of palliative care and to relive the suffering of the terminally ill in Ethiopia, and the trustees see this as a way of broadening access to people needing end-of-life care both in Addis Ababa and in some of the regional areas of Ethiopia.

Dr Rediet Gebeyehu who set up this non-government organisation is an oncologist and haematologist working in North Carolina, USA. The in-country team led by Dr Daniel Digafie particularly focuses on providing end of life care in people’s homes.

Patient story – Mahlet

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Mahlet (not her real name) is one of the patients visited by Tim and Sue last October. Mahlet is a 36 year old female patient following the Christian Orthodox religion. She was diagnosed with HIV 15 years ago and 3 years ago was diagnosed with cervical cancer. Surgery was not appropriate, so she was treated with radiotherapy which has left her with colitis and bloody diarrhoea. She was referred to Hospice Ethiopia by the Black Lion Hospital for management of her troublesome symptoms.

She is widowed and lives in a 1 roomed house with her son sharing a communal latrine. She rents her ‘kebele’ house which means it is owned by the local woreda (council). Prior to her illness Mahlet worked as a ‘daily worker’ but is no longer able to work so receives a monthly grant from the Tewolde Madhane Comfort Fund. Due to her poor income, she is entitled to be part of the government’s health insurance scheme, for which she pays a small amount. This entitles her to free basic health care.

Her mood was low and Nurse Kalkidan spent time listening to her worries. She is lonely as her son is at college all day and she is unable to get out much due to her disease. Nurse Kalkidan planned to refer her to the Hospice’s Day Care programme. When asked what difference Hospice Ethiopia had made to her life, she replied “I get all the help I need for example I receive medicines, sanitary pads and money so that I can eat.” She did not have any questions but ended the visit saying “God bless you. I have all I need”.

Visit our YouTube channel here to see a video of Nurse Kalkidan with Mahlet.

Patient Story: Heywot

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Heywot was diagnosed with breast cancer 5 years ago in hospital and was offered chemotherapy and a mastectomy. However, she declined both these treatments, and she now has an extensive open breast wound.  A local organisation had offered to fund chemotherapy this year, but she again declined treatment. Local people in her community told her about Hospice Ethiopia and she contacted the Hospice 2 months prior to our visit.

Heywot is divorced and lives alone in a small one-room house. She previously worked as a daily labourer and is illiterate; she now has no source of income. Her son lives nearby and did most of the talking during the visit. She receives a monthly grant from the Tewolde Medhane Comfort fund, and neighbours have given her 10Kg of teff flour so that she can make injera (the staple Ethiopian flatbread).

The nurse from Hospice Ethiopia had partially relieved her pain with ibuprofen. She would benefit from a stronger pain killer like tramadol but under new regulations, Hospice Ethiopia can no longer provide this, and she would need to be seen by a hospital doctor. However, Heywot and her son have refused all further contact with a hospital.

When Heywot was asked what her main problems were, she replied “struggling with life, I don’t have enough food and am still in severe pain”. She feels happiness from God during her daily visits to her church. She wishes to be able to cook, for example, Shiro Wat (a chickpea stew) again which is her favourite food.

Sponsored Swim in aid of Hospice Ethiopia

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Tim and John Morgan are once again doing the mighty Swimathon, this time on 21st March. It’s a big old swim, up to 5k across the notorious waters of the Reef Swimming Pool in Sheringham. We’ll have to navigate lanes, other swimmers and dangerous sea monsters (possibly). We’re doing it in aid of the wonderful Hospice Ethiopia, whose inspirational team in Addis Ababa help hundreds of desperate people with medical, financial and mental support. Without Hospice Ethiopia, they would have no one. Plus, as a centre of palliative care excellence, Hospice Ethiopia trains medics to bring relief to thousands more patients, in Ethiopia and beyond. Every penny raised by Hospice Ethiopia UK goes directly to help the team in Addis Ababa. So every penny you give will make a difference… And if you can give more than a penny, it’ll make more of a difference! Please donate via this Justgiving page.

Patient story: Genzeb

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Genzeb* is a 45 year old woman with cervical cancer which was diagnosed 4 years ago. She received radiotherapy as surgery was not an option. Since receiving radiotherapy she has become incontinent and has radiation induced colitis (damage to the large intestine)**. 3 weeks prior to our visit she had received a 2 unit blood transfusion at the Black Lion Hospital, as the colitis had resulted in her being anaemic.

She was prescribed mesalazine suppositories to try and reduce the rectal bleeding. These are expensive, so her brothers and sisters pay for these as she is unable to afford them. She also has metronidazole vaginal douches to reduce the odour from her tumour. She receives a monthly grant from the Tewolde Medhane Comfort Fund, food support and sanitary products.

Genzeb is divorced and lives alone in a ‘condominium’. These are flats built by the government which are rented but can then be bought. Genzeb’s father had bought their flat but had died 10 months previously. There is now disagreement between Genzeb, who had lived with and cared for her father, and her 6 siblings about who owns the flat.

Genzeb follows the Christian Orthodox Tawahido religion and is part of a group of a spiritual and community support group with 12 members (Tsiwa). The group meets monthly to honour a saint, sharing a meal and engaging in prayer and singing. The small shrine in her house rotates to the other members of the group each month. Genzeb had set up the group because her brother had survived a serious accident.

When asked what difference Hospice Ethiopia had made to her life she replied “previously I couldn’t afford to get to my appointments at the hospital. I have nobody else who cares for me and wouldn’t be alive without Hospice Ethiopia’s support. Your service does a lot of important things, for example visiting people in their own homes. It is an example that other organisations should follow”.

*Not her real name

**It is reported that to increase the number of patients treated by radiotherapy and to reduce the waiting list at the Black Lion Hospital, the dose of radiotherapy per session was increased and the length of the course reduced. This has now been stopped due to the sharp increase in the side effects experienced by the patients.

The Big Give 2025

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This year’s Big Give Christmas campaign is now live!

We are hoping to raise £10,200 to pay the salaries of 3 nurses at Hospice Ethiopia throughout 2026.

With your help we can reach our target. All donations large or small will be matched and will make a difference to supporting people who are approaching the end of life in Ethiopia. Many live in extreme poverty and without the care from Hospice Ethiopia’s nurses, may not have any help at all and suffer greatly.

If you are thinking of making a donation to support Hospice Ethiopia’s work, this is the week to do it. All donations made through the Big Give website will be doubled until noon on Tuesday 9th December.

One donation, twice the impact!

Please donate through Hospice Ethiopia UK’s Big Give page

Listen to Nurse Tsegay talk about working for Hospice Ethiopia. Last year’s Big Give appeal funded her and Rahel, a social worker to be trained in palliative care and work at Hospice Ethiopia:

Patient video: Kalkidan

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Kalkidan, a patient of Hospice Ethiopia in Addis Ababa talks about her diagnosis and the difference that the care she has received from Hospice Ethiopia has made to her life.

Please note permission is sought prior to taking all photographs and videos. Names have been changed to protect privacy. Our thanks to Alan Miller for producing the video. 

Calendars, Christmas cards, and gift cards for sale now!

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Get your orders in now – stock is limited! We are enormously grateful to professional journalists Fred Harter and Michele Spatari for providing the unique photographs of Ethiopia in our 2026 calendar – one each month. Calendars cost £10 + postage.

Christmas cards, with designs unique to Hospice Ethiopia UK, are £5 for a pack of 10 + postage (see the designs in the photo).

Gift cards are an alternative gift that helps support our work in Ethiopia. It might not be a present that you gift wrap, but it will bring joy both to the recipient and to vulnerable patients in Ethiopia. We have 3 different gifts at £15, £30, and £45 (see photo), so you’ll be able to find the right gift for your recipient to celebrate any occasion.

To purchase please email info@hospiceethiopia.org.uk