A visually impaired couple in the Southern Region’s Wolaita Sodo city has been gifted a new home through a summer volunteer initiative, ending years of severe housing hardship in the Otona Edget village.

Mamo Paranjo and his wife described their previous living conditions as a heavy burden that compounded the daily challenges of their visual impairment. Lacking a steady income, the couple frequently faced severe poverty and food insecurity, noting that they often went to bed hungry while praying for relief from their difficult circumstances.

Now, through the collaborative efforts of local volunteers, their long-standing housing crisis was resolved in just a matter of days.

"Through the support we received, we have seen that when people help each other, they can work miracles," the couple said. Expressing their profound gratitude to those who built the home, they added, "This volunteer service has wiped away our tears."

 Wolaita Sodo Mayor Etagegn Hailemariam stated that the housing project is part of a broader volunteer campaign operating across 18 sectors in the city, which also includes blood donation drives and further home construction for vulnerable residents.

Building on the success of last year's initiatives, she noted that these community efforts have been strengthened across all municipal administrative structures. According to the mayor, this year's summer program aims to provide various forms of support to 148,000 citizens citywide.