At 78 years old, Abebech had raised six children alone after her husband passed away. She worked as a domestic helper, washed clothes for neighbors, did whatever it took to keep her family together. Now, her children struggled to support their own families, and Abebech found herself alone.
"I had no income, no savings, and my landlord was demanding three months of back rent," she remembers, her voice trembling. "He said if I couldn't pay, I would have to leave. I had nowhere to go."
A neighbor told her about Babul Keyer USA's elderly care program. Abebech came to the feeding center, not for food, but for help. She was desperate.
"The people at Babul Keyer USA listened to my story without judgment," she says. "They didn't make me feel like a burden. They said, 'We will help you.'"
Babul Keyer USA paid her back rent – three months of arrears that had threatened to make her homeless. They continued to pay her monthly rent, and a volunteer began visiting weekly to check on her health and bring her medication.
"I couldn't believe it," Abebech says, tears in her eyes. "Complete strangers cared for me when my own situation had become so difficult. They gave me back my home and my dignity."
Today, Abebech is one of 120 seniors whose rent is covered by Babul Keyer USA. She also receives medication for her high blood pressure and regular visits from a caregiver.
"I may be old, but I still have so much to live for," she says, smiling. "I have my home, my health, and people who care about me. Babul Keyer USA didn't just save me from homelessness – they gave me a new lease on life."
