IT IS BACK TO SCHOOL TIME for the children at AHOPE Ethiopia.  This year the 38 oldest children will be attending two public schools outside the immediate neighborhood where they will not be recognized for their double stigma of orphan and HIV status.  A new education supervisor is being hired to serve a parental role in teacher conferences, school activities, homework and tutoring.  She will also supervise and advise the in-house kindergarten teacher.  The children have new backpacks, new school supplies and are ready to start the new year.

WHAT ISN’T READY IS THE POOR OLD VAN that was donated years ago and is just about on its last legs (wheels?).  The price of gasoline in Ethiopia has risen dramatically in the past year and the van is getting such poor mileage that it is often more economical to hire taxis for many of the travel needs.  AHOPE Ethiopia plans to purchase two vehicles, one a small and fuel-efficient car for times when a small car is all that is needed, and then a van for transporting groups of children.  AHOPE for Children has earmarked $20,000 from two very providential donations that arrived the same week as the SOS about the failing van.  Time, Inc. sent a $15,000 donation to honor a retiring executive who opted to have the gift sent to AHOPE for Children in lieu of a retirement party.  Within days we received an anonymous gift via Network for Good that provided most of the rest. We are now working toward raising the money needed to purchase the second vehicle.

THE CHILDREN HAVE ENJOYED SO MANY ACTIVITIES IN THE PAST FEW MONTHS.   Erik and Charlotte Blome have created a non-profit called When I Grow Up I Want To Be. . .to provide opportunities for orphans in Ethiopia to express themselves through art.   Eric is a noted sculptor, and he and Charlotte are proud adoptive parents of an Ethiopian child as well as long-time AHOPE sponsors.   Erik made arrangements with the Ethiopian Art Institute for local artists to provide a workshop for the older children in March.  The resulting masterpieces have been exhibited in the Chicago area and the collection is available for gallery shows or fundraising events.  For more information, contact Erik (web site address:  www.figurativeartstudio.com/  or Susan Poisson-Dollar, our Director of Development.

In addition to providing the lifesaving medications, Worldwide Orphans has also sponsored  art events for AHOPE’s children.  In late spring, WWO sent a professional New York stage crew to Addis to produce a musical show written and performed by the children of AHOPE Ethiopia. The show consisted of a series of skits that dealt with some very painful subjects.  The themes, which were chosen by the children, certainly revealed what is on their minds—having HIV tests come out positive, mistreatment of beggars, mistreatment and abuse of girls, really heavy stuff.  But the kids also sang with joy and showed the whole country that HIV+ children are capable, energetic and talented—if given the chance.  The two performances in Addis, one at the International School and the second at the National Theater, were very well attended and generated rave reviews.  Several of the members of the stage crew contacted me to say that the experience of working with our children was life-changing for them.  And it was an unforgettable experience for all the little writers, actors and singers. In July, WWO provided music classes for the older children, and an art workshop for 25 local kindergarten teachers, using the AHOPE kids to demonstrate how to develop skills and creativity.  The children’s paintings from that workshop will be exhibited at the WWO October fundraising gala in New York.

CONGRATULATIONS TO SIDISSE BULI, Director of AHOPE Ethiopia, who was one of 8 delegates representing Ethiopia that attended a three-week training program for East African managers of HIV/AIDS projects from mid-July to early August.  The event was held in Tanzania under the auspices of ARCAN (African Regional Capacity Building Network for HIV/AIDS Prevention, Treatment and Care). Sidisse reports that she enjoyed the college atmosphere, including papers, reports, field trips and deadlines and she returned with new knowledge to use for the benefit of the AHOPE children, and skills to share with leaders of other HIV projects. 

WELCOME TO OUR NEW VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR, PAT MURRAY.  We have had so many volunteers share their time and talent with our children, with an especially large number working this summer. They included college students from Ethiopia, Scandinavia and the United States along with professionals in several medical and educational fields, at least one W    WO Orphan Ranger, and other people who came all the way to Ethiopia to help at AHOPE wherever needed. In July seven Selamtas Ambassadors provided much-needed and much appreciated renovations to the younger children’s home.  Selamtas is an outreach project of the US-based Human Capital Foundation, and serves orphans and street children in Ethiopia. 
      Although in the past we have relied on WWO to screen and train potential volunteers for us, it is now time for us to assume this responsibility.  Pat Murray, a school administrator by profession, assisted by Leslie Longstreet, is working with Sidisse to create a packet of information for potential volunteers as well as an application process and training for volunteers from the United States.  There are now standard requirements, including mandatory police checks and training in First Aid/HIV issues.  Our chronic shortage of housing for volunteers will hopefully be addressed in the near future.  Contact information for Pat is listed in Connections at the end of this newsletter.

MELISSA FAY GREENE’S NEW BOOK, THERE IS NO ME WITHOUT YOU, is now available.  Melissa has done a thorough and meticulous job of researching and reporting the facts and figures of the AIDS epidemic in Ethiopia, while giving the numbers a human face by describing the attempt by Haregewoin, a middle class Ethiopian woman, to create a home for orphaned children.  It is a true story of compassion overwhelmed by need and gives a very sympathetic picture of what happens when well-intended is not necessarily well- thought-out.  AHOPE is mentioned several times in the book and Melissa is a very strong supporter of AHOPE Ethiopia. (Thank you Melissa!!) .  Melissa will have a national book tour this fall and may be coming to your area.  If so, it is worth your while to meet this passionate and talented author and adoptive mom of Ethiopian children.  Please visit the book’s website at www.ThereIsNoMeWithoutYou.com.  
      A couple of items in Melissa’s book need clarification. ENAT is mentioned in a way that might lead some to think that it simply evolved and changed its name to AHOPE Ethiopia. In fact, ENAT was closed a few years ago after major problems with
management and financial oversight;it was replaced by an entirely new NGO, AHOPE Ethiopia, that took over responsibility for the care of the children of the former ENAT . 
      The second item is the a quote attributed to an AHOPE Ethiopia board member that was made when Haregewoin was in jail and her orphanage was about to be closed. The board member stated that AHOPE Ethiopia didn’t have room for the children that would be displaced by the closure.  This might give the impression to our supporters that AHOPE did not react to the needs of those children. Melissa may have not been informed that there was a great deal of activity going on behind the scenes as government officials and the orphanage community made contingency plans for Haregewoin’s children.  In the crisis, staff members of AHOPE Ethiopia and other organizations visited Haregewoin’s homes to make sure that the children were being fed and receiving care.  AHOPE Ethiopia was asked by the government to be ready to receive the 28 HIV+ children from Haregewoin’s orphanage, and Sidisse Buli, AHOPE Director, made heroic effort to plan for the children’s arrival and subsequent care.  She appealed to many local charities and NGOs in a successful campaign to obtain pledges that were contingent on the actual transfer.  We may not have had room when Melissa interviewed the AHOPE Ethiopia board member, but we made room for the HIV+ children that were not likely to have been welcomed elsewhere.  As it turned out, the children were not transferred; Haregewoin’s case was appealed, she was released from jail and was allowed to continue running her orphanage.

ADOPTIONS HAVE CHANGED THE WAY THAT OUR CHILDREN VIEW VISITORS.  In the past, our older children were resigned to the fact that their HIV status precluded their being adopted.   Starting last fall, one after another, a few of their HIV+ buddies left for America to join new families.  With the new hope that has been created among the children comes new responsibilities for visitors, volunteers and all who come in contact with the children.  It is now very important for everyone to not give the AHOPE children false hope that they are going to adopt them. Each child wants a family more than anything and wishful thinking is very strong among them.  They are blurring the distinction between sponsor and adopter and look to every visitor for signs that they are the chosen one.  For this reason, visitors from now on are being asked to not single out any particular child for photographs, individual gifts, or any other special attention, even if the visitor sponsors that child.  Staff may discreetly point out the sponsored child within a group. Small gifts for all the children are fine to share, but individual gifts should be given to a staff member to be put away for an occasion like Christmas or the group birthday party when everyone receives presents.   Acting in any way like the new adoptive parent must be avoided—unless, of course, you are the new parent.

NO PHOTOGRAPHY SIGNS have been placed at both AHOPE houses.  Their purpose is to draw attention to the new rules of photography designed to protect the dignity and privacy of the children and the staff and to give AHOPE more control over the use of images of our children.    Exceptions to the “no photographs” are given to those who read the rules and sign an agreement that they will abide by them.  The rules for private individuals and media are not onerous; they are common sense and courtesy. A copy of the rules is available from AHOPE Ethiopia staff at the children’s homes, or from the AHOPE for Children office. 

KIBNESH CHALA, THE SOCIAL WORKER WHO HAS WRITTEN THE CHILD REPORTS FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS, HAS JOINED A BELGIAN CHARITY.  She has agreed to complete the September child updates for sponsors so hopefully we will have those out to sponsors by early October. Exceptions are reports on children that were brought into care after June—the staff and social workers will need more evaluation time before they issue a new report.  We are sorry to see Kibnesh leave us, but wish her well in her new employment.


ETHIOPIA CELEBRATED THEIR NEW YEAR ON SEPTEMBER 11. The AHOPE children enjoyed special activities, a party on New Year’s Eve and a traditional New Year’s Day breakfast provided by local Rotarians.  HAPPY ETHIOPIAN NEW YEAR!