Orphans in Ethiopia Find Support Through LIFE’s Sponsorship Program

In Kibbet Town, central Ethiopia, orphaned children who once struggled through days that were uncertain and marred by hardships are now experiencing what they could barely have hoped for: stability, support, and hope.

These children, whose orphan status leaves them in the charge of impoverished relatives or guardians in the wake of losing one or both parents, inhabit a country in which the government lacks the resources to assist them.

Multiple crises are currently unfolding in Ethiopia. The war in Ukraine has disrupted global supply chains and resulted in double-digit inflation. A civil conflict in the country’s Tigray region has uprooted more than 3 million residents and left the country concerned that another civil war may erupt, and climate-related disasters, like drought, have ravaged many farms in one of the world’s most agrarian countries.

Amid skyrocketing inflation, living standards have continued to decline, and more than 15 million people are still dependent on food assistance.

With all of these challenges, many of Ethiopia's approximately 3 million orphaned children often fall through the cracks.

Life for Relief and Development (LIFE) helped to give these children a fighting chance through LIFE’s global Orphan Sponsorship Program. In Kibbet Town, central Ethiopia, a new group of 38 orphans joined the sponsorship program. This program gave every orphan a monthly sum of money to cover their essentials: food to fill their empty stomachs, clothes to keep their bodies warm, and books and school supplies to prepare them for a future of success.

It also included regular follow-ups to make sure the allowance was being used properly and to address new needs and issues.

Importantly, they arranged parent-teacher-student meetings to help encourage, uplift, and find solutions to any barriers that were stopping the children from receiving the education they deserved.

Recognizing the value of community and connection, quarterly gatherings were held with all the families. These group meetings served as a place for children to meet other children, for guardians to support one another, and for everyone to feel a little less alone in their struggles.

Thirty-eight children are experiencing the comfort of knowing that their worth is being nurtured and their lives are cherished by our generous donors.

One young recipient reflected on how his life has been profoundly changed, “We thank you for being like a father to us when we lost our father, sharing our

problems, and helping us to be on the same level of education as our peers who

have fathers.”

To every donor who gave from the heart: thank you. You didn't just provide food, you also offered hope.