Ethiopia Child Sponsorship Program
NEW - Select a Child in Ethiopia to Sponsor!
Haben, in the photo to the right, is just one of the children currently being sponsored through our program. You can now view photos and profiles of children in Ethiopia waiting to be sponsored and choose the child with whom you want to be matched. Become a sponsor today and ensure a child’s educational and nutritional needs are met while witnessing a family’s journey towards independence. Get started now!
LEARN MORE
- View a documentary by world-renowned photographer Tyler Stableford
- View our slide show on child sponsorship
- Read our most recent newsletter
- Print our sponsorship brochure and share it with others who can donate to this life-changing program!
- Read our Ethiopia Child Sponsorship FAQs
Tirunesh is one of the estimated 5 million orphans in Ethiopia, most of whom will never be adopted. Sponsorship helps many children remain with relatives, attend school and receive better nutrition and health care. Sponsorship also makes it possible for some families to open small businesses, empowering them to break the cycle of poverty.
Child Sponsorship Empowers Families
Consider the story of Danait T/Haymanot, who lives in Mekelle. Through sponsorship, Danait and her family were able to break the cycle of poverty by creating a small but profitable business. They began by rearing sheep and selling tea out of a "tea room." Today they are under contract with a local restaurant to sell bread and injera, a staple food in Ethiopia. This family rose from an income level well below the poverty line to an average annual income of 11,000 birr, compared to the average annual income of 1,500 birr (about $150). They are moving closer to financial independence. Read more success stories.
How Sponsorship Works
Sponsoring a child in Ethiopia costs $420 per year, which provides:
- assistance with food, clothing, shelter, urgent medical care and education
- regular visits with a social worker overseeing each family’s social and emotional well-being
- financial counseling from an economist to help families maintain a savings account and create a small business
- ongoing support as the family moves toward financial independence
You will receive a photograph and profile of the child you sponsor, an update from your child’s social worker and a letter and photograph from your child or a family member at least once a year. Social workers closely monitor your child’s progress, help enroll him or her in school and assist the family with investing funds. They also translate and deliver correspondence between you and your child.
See an overview of all of our sponsorship programs.
Who Are the Children?
Famine, war, AIDS and extreme poverty have taken a staggering toll in Ethiopia. As a result, many children have lost one or both parents. Orphaned, these children sometimes remain in their homes with siblings or grandparents, all of whom depend upon their struggling communities for survival. Our child sponsorship program provides hope for many hundreds – and potentially thousands – of children and their families. We work primarily in Tigray, Sidama and Addis Ababa. Read more »
YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE
Thousands like Danait wait for generous donors to help them preserve their families and work toward financial independence. For more information, call us at 781.894.5330.
