Protected by Courage, Saved by Community

Alem* imagined herself wearing a white coat one day, moving from home to home, helping sick children and mothers. The dream almost died before it was born. 

One afternoon, the sun hung heavy over her rural community as a young girl walked towards the market, unaware that her life was in danger. Two men suddenly appeared. One grabbed her arm tightly. The other stepped in front of her, blocking the path. Alem’s heart slammed against her ribs. She opened her mouth to scream, but fear choked her voice. Her legs felt heavy, as if rooted to the ground. She had no choice but to follow them. 

Inside a small, dimly lit house, the smell of stale incense and sweat turned her stomach. They forced her to sit on a wooden stool. One of the men looked at her with hard eyes and said the words that turned her blood cold: 

“You will marry me. It is already decided.” 

Alem’s hands trembled. She pressed them between her knees. Images of girls from neighbouring villages flashed through her mind – girls who had vanished from school and been forced into early marriages before anyone could stop it. Stories like theirs were becoming frighteningly common across the project communities. Between April 2025 and March 2026 alone, 40 abduction cases were reported across the project's woredas, accounting for 21% of all gender-based violence cases reported during that period. Now, Alem feared she was about to become one of them. 

But then she remembered the phone hidden in her pocket. In a village where few children carried phones, it was her only hope. 

Thankful they didn’t search her, she swallowed her fear and whispered, “May I use the toilet?” 

The men laughed but allowed her to go. 

In the tiny, dirty room, Alem’s fingers trembled so badly she nearly dropped the phone. She took a deep breath and dialled the community's change facilitator. 

One ring. 

Two rings. 

Outside the door, she could hear the men talking. 

Then finally, 

“Hello?” 

Alem spoke in a hurried whisper, explaining everything. The facilitator immediately understood the danger. Trained through the Resilient WE Project to help communities prevent and respond to gender-based violence and harmful practices like child marriage, she quickly alerted nearby community members and local authorities through the reporting and response system established in the area. 

Minutes felt painfully slow. 

Voices suddenly rose outside the house. More footsteps followed. The men inside became restless. Community members and local authorities had arrived. The abductors were caught before they could escape.  

Alem was safely rescued. 

Even now, the fear from that day has not completely faded, she recalls. But every time she remembers it, she also remembers the overwhelming relief of hearing that voice answer her call. 

Today, Alem is back in school. She walks to class every morning with her books held tightly, her dream of becoming a health worker still burning brightly. One phone call and the quick action of a trained community member saved her future. 

With continued support, more girls like Alem will grow up protected not by fear, but by strong communities that give them the freedom to chase their dreams. 

*Names and details have been changed to protect her safety. 

By Samuel Teshale, Production Specialist, World Vision Ethiopia