Ethiopia (MNN) — Drought,
environmental degradation, rapid population growth, political unrest, poverty,
and AIDS make life challenging for children growing up in Ethiopia. As a result, many orphans and vulnerable
children desperately need help.
To help these kids, Bethany Christian
Services began a partnership with Gelegela Integrated Orphans and Destitute Family
Support Association in 2008. Since 2004,
Gelegela has been caring for orphaned and abandoned children, destitute women,
and poor families. Bethany's partnership with Gelegela focuses on
providing institutional care, adoption, and child sponsorship. It serves a total of about 200 children.
Gelegela provides food, medical
care, hygiene supplies, and clothing for 75 children at an orphanage in Addis
Ababa, the capital city. Bethany helped
upgrade and equip the Addis Ababa facility, and is helping to support 25 orphans living
with HIV/AIDS at Alem Bank Care Center of Gelegela in Addis Ababa.
In addition, Bethany supplies about
100 children in the towns of Woliso, Sebeta, and Hadiya with clothing, school
supplies and uniforms, food, and hygiene supplies. They work with the government to sponsor very
poor children. This sponsorship program allows kids to live with families, relatives, or legal guardians rather than
in institutional settings.
Through this program, Bethany has
placed 20 children with permanent families through international adoption. You can help by sponsoring a child. Pray for these children to know their Father in heaven.
