Ethiopia is the oldest independent nation in Africa and the second-most populated. Adequate food and water supplies are continually threatened by drought, contributing to malnutrition and disease in many children. ChildFund Ethiopia focuses on child and maternal health services, nutrition, child protection, access to early childhood development services, orphan support, economic strengthening, water and sanitation, and parent and caregiver education. During 2015 and 2016, ChildFund has addressed a serious food shortage in Ethiopia by distributing nutritious food to the most vulnerable members of the population: children under 5, lactating and pregnant women, and the elderly.
ChildFund has served children in Ethiopia since 1972.
“We Live for Our Children”: Creating Opportunity in Ethiopia
The PEPFAR/USAID-funded Yekokeb Berhan program has worked in Ethiopia since May 2011 to put in place a child-focused social welfare network that allows all children, including the most vulnerable, to thrive. Focusing on HIV-affected communities, Yekokeb Berhan aims to reach 500,000 highly vulnerable children throughout the country and is a collaboration among Pact, Family Health International (FHI360) and ChildFund International, along with many local partner organizations.
Children Find a Place to Read in Africa’s Largest Market
After witnessing the situation in the area, ChildFund Ethiopia, with the help of a sponsor, constructed a library that has served the children of Mercato since 2008.
It is equipped with many kinds of books in different languages, both local and international, from reference books to stories meant for pleasure reading.
In the eyes of Mercato residents, the library is more than just a place for literacy and education. It’s a place where children are safe after school, a time when they might otherwise be vulnerable to substance abuse and other dangers.
| Location: | Dire Dawa, Ethiopia |
