Humanitarian Aid in Ethiopia
September 15, 2011: Wide Horizons For Children, Inc. has been monitoring the drought crisis in the Horn of Africa that has extended its reach to Ethiopia. We are in close communication with our staff on the ground to monitor the impact on families living in the areas where we work. At present, those families and communities remain stable. WHFC is not accepting donations to help with the drought crisis, as we are not set up to act as a disaster relief organization. However, we will continue to follow this situation closely and update this message if conditions change. For more information about how we continue to transform the lives of children and families in Ethiopia and how you can support our efforts read about our work below or contact Julie Wilder Long, Senior Humanitarian Aid Coordinator at 781.419.0357 or jwilder@whfc.org for more information.
View the full video (7:31)
The needs of children and families in Ethiopia are staggering:
- Ethiopia is listed in the top 10 countries for the worst human development index worldwide
- 5 million, or 16% of all children in Ethiopia are orphans
- 1 in every 13 children dies before his/her first birthday
- 1 in 14 women will die from complications during pregnancy or childbirth
- More than 1/3 of children under age 5 are malnourished
- 4 out of 5 families live on less than $2 a day
- In rural areas, fewer than 1 in 3 families has access to a clean water source
Because international adoption is the country's last resort for destitute children, in-country assistance is imperative. In collaboration with our Ethiopian staff and local governments, we have focused on the key areas of child sponsorship, family permanency, community development, health and education and established programs to make real change possible. We are currently focused in the Sidama Zone in the south and the northern region of Tigray. We also provide ongoing support to Horizon House in the capital, Addis Ababa.
 |
|
 |
|
 CHILD SPONSORSHIP/FAMILY EMPOWERMENT Through our sponsorship program, a child and his/her family is provided with much-needed financial support in order to create an opportunity for improved nutrition, shelter and education. |
|
For more information on any of our humanitarian aid work in Ethiopia, contact us at 781.894.5330.
