Ethiopia

Children and families in Ethiopia are vulnerable due to many challenges: famine, drought, poverty, malnutrition, and infectious diseases, including HIV/AIDS. The average life expectancy in Ethiopia is 49 years old. To help meet people’s needs, Bethany provides a continuum of care through our office and in partnerships with local non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in the capital, Addis Ababa.

Bethany Ethiopia supports services with in-country partners, such as Yezelalem Minch and Gelgela, offering a variety of services to children and families including:

• Financial support for children’s education, including school tuition, supplies, and clothing.
• Child and family sponsorships that provide chickens, goats, medical care, and other necessary resources.
• Reaching out to children whose parents have died of AIDS.
• Supporting and meeting the needs of community members and extended families who are providing foster services for children.
• Offering programs about HIV/AIDS, orphan care and support, and programs for street mothers (with their children) that focus on reintegration and rehabilitation.
• Caring for abandoned children, orphans, and destitute families.

In addition to social services, Bethany Christian Services (BCS) also works to place children with adoptive families through intercountry adoption. At times, adoption is an appropriate solution that provides protection for children who are not able to be raised by their family of origin. When intercountry adoption is recommended, BCS works to ensure adequate child participation, assessment, preparation of both parties, and optimal transition time, depending on the child’s developmental needs. For child-focused placement, BCS advocates to ensure that the adoptive family can meet the child's needs.

Children who are waiting for adoptive families do so because of:

• Death of one or both birthparents from disease, famine, drought, or war.
• Abandonment.
• Poverty or relinquishment by their birthfamily.
• Health issues of the child or birthparent, including malnutrition, TB, malaria, or HIV.

Bethany strongly believes that every child has the basic right to live in a loving family. Although orphan shelters may be clean and provide attentive nurturing and care, they will never be equivalent to a home or a family.

Click on the program title to learn how you can help.
Adoption
Intercountry Adoption

Training
Skills Training for Women

Temporary Care
Yezelalem Minch Orphanage
Gelegela Orphans

Family Support
Family Preservation