Ethiopia Youth Resilience: Child Labor Response Program
Will you help keep children out of labor trafficking and equip them for success?
Vulnerable children are caught in labor trafficking
In Ethiopia, many children tragically become victims of labor trafficking. A network of recruiters often lures children from rural or poverty-ridden areas to Addis Ababa, with the promise of a salary and an education.
Yet, while these children are given work, it comes in the form of abusive and exploitative situations, such as domestic servitude or unsafe manufacturing or factory settings.
Launching the Ethiopia Youth Resilience: Child Labor Response Program
Because of our 16 years of experience working on the ground in Ethiopia, Freedom Fund awarded Bethany a grant to create the Ethiopia Youth Resilience: Child Labor Response Program.
Advocate
Partnering with the Ethiopian government, we’ll advocate for the creation of a child protection welfare system that protects the rights of children. There is no law to protect child domestic workers in Ethiopia.
Build capacity
Our Ethiopian staff will build capacity around local administrators, offering training and screening tools for law enforcement to identify vulnerable, trafficked children.
Help children
Over time, we’ll identify an increased number of children caught in the labor trafficking system and provide family-based care.
How you can help
In addition to capacity building and advocacy, the Ethiopia Youth Resilience: Child Labor Response Program aims to provide direct services to 160 child workers, but it will cost Bethany $58/month. Will you help keep children out of labor trafficking and equip them for success?
While Freedom Fund provided a grant, Bethany needs to raise $85,000 to fund the remaining start-up costs.
Offering a safe haven and family-based care
Children ages 8 and under will be placed in temporary foster care until they can be reunified safely with their family. Children ages 9-18 will stay temporarily in a safe shelter, receiving assessment for mental and physical health needs. Children 17 and older will receive additional livelihood training and start-up funds to help them transition into independent living.