Ethiopia (MNN) — According to Children's Hope International, there are about five-million orphans in Ethiopia. According to the United Nations, more than 800,000 of them have been orphaned because of AIDS. Unfortunately, many orphanages aren't equipped to prepare these kids to leave the orphanage.
Cory Barron with Children's Hope says, "The problem is, as the kids age in the orphanage, they never leave because they don't have any skills. They don't have the training necessary to leave the orphanage and go out on their own."
Children's Hope not only is trying to place children through adoption, they're also training older orphans. "This involves getting a child into the skills training that they'll need to go get a job, to make a living, to move out of the orphanage and be on their own," says Barron. "What it takes is some money to get them into trade schools and even in some cases into universities."
Many can learn to become taxi drivers, mobile phone and computer technicians, clerks, mechanics, and more.
However, Barron says, that takes money, and your $500 one-time gift can help. "Along with the skills training," he says, "they're going to have regular counseling, also HIV/AIDS awareness training, social skills — things they maybe didn't get in an orphanage or institutional setting."
Children's Hope is providing something basic for these kids — hope. "They are going to have at least hope for this life, and we are giving them hope for eternal life. But first you have to meet those basic needs."
The ministry is starting with 31 young people but will expand the program as funding allows.
If you'd like to help Children's Hope International with this program, click here.
