"I’m from western Oromia and have four sons and two daughters. I lived on the street for two months before I came to live in this camp.  

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I used to be a farmer with a lot of land, livestock, and crops to harvest. When the conflict started, they robbed the cattle, and I was displaced, left with only my own clothes. I left everything else at home. They killed 12 of my neighbours. I only took my children out of that place. I don't want to return because all my equipment, cattle and crops have been looted, so there's nothing to go back to. I was afraid of the fighting because it was so extreme. I'm lucky to be out of that place with my children. I don't want to remember the conflict and my removal from my village. I don't want to go there again.

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When I arrived at this camp, I was given some food. The Debre Birhan community accepted us, but there is now a food shortage and, therefore, no food distribution. It’s a very welcoming community here at Debre Birhan, but they’ve been supporting us for such a long time, I fear we are exhausting the community as there’s a lack of resources.

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I have no negative comments about the health services here – healthcare is free, staff are very friendly, and they listen to us and treat us accordingly, so I'm very happy with the health services.

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Today, I visited the clinic due to a headache and pain in my arms. When they saw me, they gave me treatment and counsel, and I got two packs of ibuprofen pills for my muscle pain for free from Project Hope (IHP supports the work of Project HOPE in Ethiopia with medicine and health supply shipments).  

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The space available here is very crowded, which is not very convenient, especially for mothers and children. We live in a plastic shelter, and it’s very crowded and really cold as there are not enough blankets. It is very difficult for my family, but living conditions are better here than at the China camp.  I stayed there for some time, but the shelter was occupied so I slept on the street. I don't want to remember that situation.

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I've been to this clinic three times, and each time, I received treatment. The treatments worked, and my health improved, but I've now got new ailments.  

One of my children has three children, and another has one child. One of my children had a gyno complication and was operated on while giving birth. Four of my grandchildren have had nutritional screenings; every week all the under-fives here are checked. I got the COVID-19 vaccine here, and my children also got COVID-19 and routine immunisations here.

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My children had finished their vaccinations in the Welega zone, but my 12-year-old child got vaccinations here, and my grandchildren had already received them."