Our Missions

The group called “ChangeForEthiopia: You and I Can Change The World” returned from their assessment trip to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in 2009.  This was our second trip to there and we currently focus on three areas in which we feel our fundraising makes the biggest impact.  All three areas have a United States 501c3 not-for-profit status. All three areas concentrate on sustainability: education and training of impoverished children/orphans/street children.  We found through this trip that the most important thing we can do as Americans is to not recreate the wheel but to support Ethiopians helping to build up Ethiopia.  There are incredible things happening all over Africa, amazing ministries taking place right before our eyes!  We do not want to create “Dependence Syndrome” by offering free handouts and charity so it is our choice to encourage and support what is already good that is occurring in Ethiopia.

#1: Bright Hope Project:

The Bright Hope (“Birhu Tesfa”) Primary School is located in the leprosy colony of Korah on the edge of Addis Ababa.  Most of the 2100+ children are desperately poor with one or both parents living with leprosy, HIV or AIDS (if there is a parent at all).  ChangeForEthiopia was asked to partner with this school, the Ethiopian Government and Children’s Hope International (St. Louis) on a $250K project to build a sustainable garden with chickens where the children can learn a trade and grow much needed food with potential to sell the excess for profit.  We purchased two of three chicken houses (the laying house for hens, $6000) and the rooster house ($6000) and the supplies to go with it.  Other donors have sponsored a new well ($20,000) and the hatching house ($6000).  The children finally have water at school; it’s been two years!  We’re SO excited to help!  But there’s so much more to be done.

Funds are still needed for: restoration of 1.5 acre garden ($21,000), masonry wall ($20,000 to protect the entire project from looting and destruction~there are more donors needed at this time for this portion of what was originally around $180,000).

TO GO: The School is always interested in having missionaries or work groups come and help with any portion of the building projects or to help in the classrooms.  One of the unique things that we as English speakers can give them is time for them to work on their English conversational skills with us.  This would be for their upper-level English classes and perhaps one-on-one tutors.  Also, a class in leprosy disease transmission (for any of you microbiologists out there or just someone with access to the Internet…) is something that was of great interest to the headmaster there at one time.

HOW TO GIVE: If you are interested in sponsoring this project, you can go to http://chi.convio.net/goto/ChangeForEthiopia and donate online.  Or you can write checks to “Children’s Hope Foundation” and put in memo “Bright Hope Project” and send them c/o Mackenzies, 2024 Prairie Avenue, Quincy, IL  62301.

#2. Compassion Family International: Schools for Impoverished Children:

We met Peter Aberas and fell in love with this strong, quiet, Spirit-filled leader.  Peter was a World Vision  International-sponsored child when he was younger and later became the director for YoungLife in northern Ethiopia.  Now, on his own, he has put together his first successful school for street children in Kechene (“Kaish-jawn-ee”), an extremely impoverished area on the outskirts of Addis Ababa.  Local officials so far have referred 85 children to Peter for KG1, KG2 and first grade.  He’s hoping to add more grade levels soon.

In 2008, Peter began another school for 25 children in the Lafto region.  Again, he continues work with local officials to identify the desperately needy and to provide a meal and schooling for them.   He says, “The children cannot learn if they have hungry stomachs.”  But with his YoungLife experience and training, he has also identified another need: young single mothers.  To this end, he has brought young mothers under his wing at the Lafto compound to teach them skills and a trade so they can feed and support their children without turning to prostitution.

ChangeForEthiopia purchased many supplies, kitchen items, desks, tables and chairs for the Lafto school.  Our team felt very strongly about the work that Peter is doing for the destitute and the forgotten.  There are so many needs here right now!

Recently, Peter just gave all of the children underwear and taught them why they need to wear it.  In the past, he has given them education and supplies for dental care (they didn’t know about brushing their teeth) as well as “Ethics” and why you should not lie, cheat or steal.  Compassion Family International Schools will use whatever you bring: supplies, skills, whatever!  If you are interested in volunteering here to teach (you are teaching them life/survival skills), cook, or just love on children, please contact us.

HOW TO GIVE: If you are interested in sponsoring this project, you can go to http://www.hopeheritage.org/SupportIHH.html and donate online under the project designation “Compassion Family International.”  Or you can write checks to “International Hope Heritage” and put in memo “Compassion Family International” and send them c/o Mackenzies, 2024 Prairie Avenue, Quincy, IL  62301.

#3. Ephrem’s Street Soccer Ministry:

 

Growing up living on the streets of Addis Ababa was a tough life for Ephrem Hagos.  He lived as a street child for five years, so he understands what 10 million children are going through right now in Ethiopia: the desperation, the starvation, the victimization. Ephrem is one of the success stories, though, and he has a heart to serve those whose circumstances once mirrored his own.

Soccer is huge in Ethiopia, with many young boys dreaming of being the next David Beckham (England) or Didiere Drogba (Ivory Coast), especially after the World Cup in South Africa in 2010.  Soccer and Jesus are Ephrem’s passions and he attracts young boys to him with his quiet, gentle spirit, teaching them “how to be men” by instructing them as a team, telling stories of his own past, and combining it all under the umbrella of Christ’s redemption.

“Soccer Ephrem” as we call him, started out with 20 boys, training them three days a week, scheduling games and feeding them dinner when he can afford to do so.  They started more than two years ago, playing on asphalt, some of them playing in sandals.  Their goals were two rocks.

Since then, Ephrem’s ministry has grown to 120 boys with five coaches.  He has rented a field with a shelter so he can teach the boys to dribble, pass and score on real grass.  In 2009, they gathered other teams together from around Addis Ababa and played for “The Mackenzie Cup” (can you imagine how honored and humbled we are?).  The message of hope is reaching more and more street children!

And they still play their hearts out for anyone willing to watch.  Everywhere we went with Ephrem, the children called his name.  He has relationships everywhere.

The ChangeForEthiopia team was extremely impressed with Ephrem, feeling that there is such potential for him to reach these street children for Christ.  He encourages them not to steal but to use whatever skills they have to earn an honest wage if they can.  One of his ideas is to be able to purchase shoe shine kits for each of the boys to have a trade to use and make money for themselves on the street.   This is one of the primary ways that boys can earn money honestly in Ethiopia.

Ephrem’s ultimate goal for his team is to get the boys into school.  The ability to be on the team will be tied to regular school attendance.  It costs $50 a year to educate a child in the public school system in Ethiopia.  Could you sponsor one boy for the year?

HOW TO GIVE: If you are interested in donating to Ephrem Hagos’ ministry, currently you have to write a check to “International Hope Heritage” and put “Ephrem Hagos” in the memo.  Send the checks c/o Mackenzie, 2024 Prairie Avenue, Quincy, IL  62301 and we will get them to International Hope Heritage.

 

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