A Baby Wailing Tears

(A little Story of Enehogn) 

En-e-hogn (Amharic)Ethiopian Language Definition - Here I am 

By Enehogn Founder, Daniel Shibra

At the age of 12, an image of a baby weeping, without hope, in his deceased mother’s arms was forever engrained into my mind.

I was born and raised in the northern part of Ethiopia in a town called Raya Kobo, part of the Kobo territory. In this rural region 90% of people are farmers. From 1973 through 1974 there was a major year long drought in which, according to UNICF reports, over 300,000 people died because of starvation across that region. one of the worst droughts in history. The moment stuck in my head of that baby occurred during that year of drought. The exact month and day are a bit hazy to me. I will never forget the baby who wailed tears over his mom’s dead body.

. Even so I remember that on that day, my aunt came to visit my family and I. after which my mom told me to take my aunt to the bus station at the center of the city. During the walk to the station, we saw a lot of people who came from the sub rural region, scattered on the floor to the left and right of the road without any shelter. Some died looking for food, some died looking for water, and some died looking for hope. My aunt held my arm and pulled me close to her as we made our way through these masses toward the station. After I dropped her off, I proceeded to walk home alone.

On my way home, I saw the baby. He was about 4 or 5 years old. The wailing is what caught my attention first, as he laid in his mother’s arms. A four-year-old baby starving trying to breast feed himself from his dead moms’ body. The baby cried and cried and continued to cry, reaching towards his mom, still trying to get milk from his mother. Wanting to be breast fed with no results. I caught the baby’s eyes and he stared into mine. At that moment I could not help but to stop and gaze back. Stuck in the moment as small tears started to roll down my face. I wanted to be there for him, but I could not. I did not know what to do but stare. It felt as if he were trying to pass a message to me.

There I was, still caught in the gaze of the baby when the city workers saw me standing and told me to go away from that area. I still could not bring my self to move. With an unwelcoming tone, the workers told me to leave again and I began to head home. They were carrying dead bodies away to clear the floors. I saw the dead mother being taken aswell, the baby still in her arms, slowly crying. I ran straight home, into my bed, and took a nap, slowly crying.

I can not forget that day, that baby’s cry, his eyes, the message he was trying to tell me. He was trying to ask me for help. Not only for him but for all those kids stuck, searching for hope. In that moment all that I would have loved to do is tell that baby that I was there for him, but I could not back then.

Today we can. This is what drives Enehogn, to give kids hope with a smile and no tears. That we will be here for them.  Enehogn means “Here I am”. It means to honestly give yourself to others who need support the most. It means true love with respect. That baby and all children like him drive Enehogn. They are Enehogn.