AHOPE for Children News

March-April, 2005

 

Dear Friends,

 

      Here is an update on what is happening at AHOPE Ethiopia. 

 

     The Anti-Retro Viral medical regimen will start for the AHOPE Ethiopia children in early April.  World Wide Orphans Foundation is sending a team from Columbia Medical School (New York) to provide pediatric AIDS training to about 40 Ethiopian physicians through a United Nations program.  The team will do the initial evaluations and will set up individualized programs for each infected AHOPE Ethiopia child. Thanks to our generous donors, AHOPE for Children was able to send a check for $3,780.00 to WWOF to cover the initial battery of tests, the CHICO panel. World Wide Orphans Foundation is raising $100,000 annually to provide 50 AHOPE children with comprehensive pediatric HIV/AIDS care.  To quote WWOF Founder-Director Jane Aronson, MD:” a small step in fighting the epidemic, but we think an important one---giving these children the promise of a future”.  Due to an unexpected (and most gratefully received) large donation at the end of last year, AHOPE for Children was able to provide an additional grant of $30,000 to WWOF to help facilitate the beginning of WWOF’s  Ethiopian pediatric AIDS program.

 

     Reports cards have been issued for the first term of school. We are SO PROUD!!!  Bisi L. is first in his class of 57 children with an average of 94.8.  Etagegnehu M. is 2^nd in her class of 64 with an average of 82 (that must be a tough class!).  There are 25 children now enrolled in public school in grades 1 through 6, and they are all doing quite well. The children in the younger house who will be entering first grade next fall attend kindergarten taught by a certified instructor  in the older children’s compound, along with those older children unable to attend school because of illness or other problems.  The little ones are learning the alphabet, numbers and other skills to prepare for first grade. The teacher also helps the older children in public school with homework and tutoring as needed.   It is not too soon to begin planning for more advanced education and vocational training for our bright and motivated youngsters. 

 

     AHOPE Ethiopia has hired a woman with excellent English skills and the background required for the newly created position of Communication Assistant. When Sidisse took over administering AHOPE Ethiopia, the records on the children were quite incomplete.  Kibnesh Chala will be responsible for filling in the gaps on background information on the children, bringing the records up-to-date, maintaining files on the children, and writing sponsor reports.  It will take a while to get all the records in order, but sponsors can expect to eventually receive updated reports on a regular basis.  Sponsors, please be patient as Ms. Chala starts her work.

 

     One of the HIV negative children is in process of being adopted.  The others that were identified as negative in the initial screening are not yet available because the records to date are not adequate for the documentation needed for adoption.  There have been at least two placements of HIV positive Ethiopian orphans from other charities to the United States.  We are exploring the possibility of placing an HIV positive girl together with her healthy brother so that the two, who are very attached to each other, will not be separated.  There are many issues involved so we are proceeding cautiously, but our goal is the best life and future for every child in our care so we are open to possibilities that are offered to our children.

 

     The audit of the former ENAT organization is nearing completion and the results will be sent to the Ministry of Justice sometime this summer.  We had good news recently—the two 11-year-old girls who were kicked out of the orphanage by the previous ENAT administrator have been located.  They are now safe and are living with extended family.  What a relief.

 

     Many visitors have been welcomed in the past few months, including several new and long-term donors and sponsors who wanted to see the project in person.  I have received glowing accounts of the care that the children are receiving, and of the cheer and cleanliness in both AHOPE houses. Recent visitors included members of Rotary and a group from Temple Shalom in New Jersey led by Rabbi Soffin, whose son Aaron made a video that is now available for viewing on our website.   When Cindy McKinney from New Mexico visited AHOPE, she learned about a girl who is hearing impaired so she arranged to have a custom-made hearing aid donated by Paul Weber of Sandia Hearing Aid Service in Los Cruces and delivered to AHOPE Ethiopia in March. Other recent visitors have included representatives of other NGOs, church organizations, andmembers of the Hiwahat Women’s Association.  Some  “higher officials” from the Ethiopian government were entertained by a drama written by Sidisse and performed by ten of the older children.  The performance was so well received that it may be put on Ethiopian TV. 

 

     Caitlin Shroering and her dance group will be performing their third annual benefit choreography concert for AHOPE for Children on April 17 in Corvallis, Oregon.  This may be the last concert for a while as Caitlin is going away to college in the fall.  We are grateful to Caitlin and the members of her dance troupe for sharing their talent and dedication to benefit the orphans of AHOPE, and we wish her the best of everything as she begins a new chapter in her life.  For more information about the concert, contact the AHOPE for Children office.

 

     There are several new pictures in the “photo album”.  If you are unable to access the website and want to see the photos, let me know and I will scan some for you. If you need brochures or other informational material, just ask. 

 

      Thank you so much for your support.  With humble gratitude I can say that we are literally showing the world what can be done when enough people of generosity, good will, faith and common sense get together to help HIV infected AIDS orphans in Africa.  Considering the need, our work has just begun.

 

Sincerely yours,

 

 Kathryn Pope Olsen