AHOPE FOR CHILDREN NEWSLETTER

SPRING, 2006

 

    The last few months have been a time of change and progress.  There is a new momentum in the organization and a new energy, all for the benefit of the children we love so much.

 

WE ARE SAVING LIVES, NO QUESTION ABOUT IT.  The first couple of weeks in March, there was an outbreak of measles at AHOPE Ethiopia with at least 7 children infected at the same time that some of the other children came down with chickenpox.  Without the ARV’s, we would have been buying at least 7 little coffins, as both diseases are deadly to children with HIV.  Neither illness is any fun at all, and the staff had a group of very sick and very miserable boys and girls to nurture back to health.  But the good news is that they are all recovering.  Thank Heaven, thank WWO and Jane Aronson for the vision and hard work of getting ARVs to our kids, thank the devoted AHOPE staff for really loving and caring for the children, thank all of you who made it possible to send you this news.  A year ago an outbreak of measles would have had a very different headline.

 

An outing to Vera Wonderland--the staff and volunteers had as much fun as the kids

SUSAN POISSON-DOLLAR, DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT, HAS BEEN HARD AT WORK.  She has set up a Yahoo Group for persons who want to exchange news about AHOPE and ideas about how to support the project. This newsletter comes out only a few times a year, so if you really want to keep up to date, join the Yahoo group. The group is growing quickly and there are all kinds of new ideas and projects being generated.  To join, send an email to Susan at spdfish@nycap.rr.com.

 

QUICK ACTION IN THE YAHOO GROUP AND GENEROUS HELP FROM WWO, AAI AND A MAJOR BENEFACTOR AVERTED A CRISIS—AT LEAST SHORT TERM.  Financial realities and the need for long-term sustainable funding had set the limit for children in care at AHOPE Ethiopia  at 60, with the understanding that if sustainable funding improved, more children could be admitted, up to a total of 120  within a year or so. As the numbers of children in care approached the 60 limit in February, AHOPE Ethiopia faced the daunting task of accepting only the most urgent cases.  And then there were 60 in care with three HIV positive babies that were going to have to be turned away.  The Yahoo group learned of the crisis and responded with at least 10 new sponsorships and some nice donations. After  a promise from World Wide Orphans for help on a long term basis, a substantial two-year grant from Adoption Advocates International, and a Cornerstone Challenge Grant from a private donor, AHOPE Ethiopia was reassured of the sustainable funding needed to admit more children and the three babies were brought into care during  the second week in March. 

 

 A SUBSTANTIAL FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN IS BEING PLANNED SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO GROW.  The need for care for HIV positive orphans is not diminishing in the least—we will probably always have more children in need than we can accommodate.  But we will do our best to provide as much help as possible without compromising our standards of care.  There will be a lot more information in future newsletters and mailings.  If you would like to help with the campaign, have ideas, connections to individuals and corporations, want to plan or participate in a fundraiser, or  want to help in any way, contact Susan.

 

TRACY TULLIS IS OUR NEW COORDINATOR FOR SUPPLIES, SHIPMENT AND PROCUREMENT.  Tracy has accepted the job of matching travelers that have suitcase space with donors offering supplies.  She maintains an up to date list of supplies that are most urgently needed at AHOPE Ethiopia.  If you have items to donate or space to carry them to Ethiopia, contact Tracy at tullis@nyc.rr.com .

 

ADOPTION IS AN OPTION FOR THE HIV CHILDREN.  Some extremely determined parent  pioneers conquered the mountains of red tape and brought their HIV positive children home last year.  Hopefully their efforts will lead to a faster process for those who follow. AHOPE Ethiopia now has 4 children who are in various stages of the adoption process, with other children identified for placement by Adoption Advocates International and  Chances by Choice, and  with still other agencies expressing interest in helping our kids find permanent adoptive homes. There is a by invitation only (for confidentiality) Internet support group for families adopting an HIV positive child from Ethiopia and for persons who are seeking more information as they make a decision about whether such an adoption is right for their family. Contact our office if you are interested in joining this group.

 

COMMUNITY OUTREACH PROGRAMS ARE BEGINNING:  Our first project has been to help children that are staying with family or other guardians rather than coming into care at AHOPE Ethiopia, but who need support and guidance to survive.  These are anticipated to be children who have been diagnosed with HIV and are being treated by WWO, but who can’t afford the nourishing diet that is an essential part of anti-AIDS care and whose family/guardians need assistance in coping with the realities of the disease. So far, there is one child in the program, but it is new and bound to grow.  A community children’s library is also under consideration.  It would be a place where the neighborhood children could meet with our kids in an informal social setting, where there would be programs to benefit both, and where the parents of the neighborhood could learn more about what AIDS isn’t and what it is.  HIV still has a tremendous stigma and we need to help educate the public so that our children will not be outcasts when they grow up.

 

<>     Thank you for supporting our efforts to meet all the challenges that we face as we do everything we can to help Ethiopia’s HIV infected orphans.