ahope for children press kit
DESCRIPTION
General description of the activities of AHOPE for Children.TRANSCRIPT
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AHOPE For Children is a non-profit organization serving the
children of Ethiopia, with a primary emphasis on caring for
orphans infected with HIV. This is accomplished in 3 ways:
A Community Outreach Program which enables orphaned
children to remain with their extended families and
culture while receiving medical care, education, food and
other services.
Two Children’s Homes which are pleasant, well staffed
and provide care exclusively for orphans who are HIV
positive and have no extended family to care for them.
International Adoption by enabling HIV+ orphans in
AHOPE’S care to find permanent loving families overseas.
Although AHOPE is not an adoption agency, to date nearly
100 children have been placed in their new adoptive homes
through reputable licensed adoption agencies.
AHOPE For Children is saving lives. If your readers are interested
in true life stories of despair and hope, tragedy and triumph;
articles and interviews are available with AHOPE’s executive
director, HIV positive orphans in Ethiopia, adoptive families in
S. Stine America and pediatric HIV/AIDS doctors.
COMMUNITY OUTREACH PROGRAM COMMUNITY OUTREACH PROGRAM
The AHOPE Child Development Center provides essential services
to enable a destitute extended family to keep its orphaned
children at home. The first Child Development Center was
opened in September of 2007 in an impoverished neighborhood
of Addis Ababa. It has the capacity to assist 100 children and their
guardians and is designed as a model that is suitable for
replication in other needy areas as funding allows.
The children are provided with all the essentials to thrive, including
food, clothing, psycho-social support, and schooling. There is an
in-house preschool and older children are provided with school
fees, uniforms and books. Medical care is provided, including
anti-retroviral therapy. The guardians of the children receive
family training in nutrition, hygiene, care of HIV infected persons
and other skills that contribute to a healthy environment.
The Center houses a Community Children’s Library to enable the
children of AHOPE to socialize with other children and adults in
the community in a way that decreases stigma and discrimination
against the HIV positive children. This first Center is truly a place
where the entire community can find hope for the future.
THE CHILDREN’S HOMES
AHOPE Ethiopia provides two children’s homes exclusively for
the care of children infected with HIV, with a capacity of about
100 children total. Both homes are clean, cheerful and have
areas for outdoor play within their walled compounds. There is
a high ratio of staff to children to ensure individualized attention.
There is a pediatrician on staff working part time and full time
trained nurses. There are also certified teachers, social workers
and well trained, supervised child care workers as well as staff
for cleaning, cooking, driving, maintenance and guarding the
compounds. Children of kindergarten age attend Worldwide
Orphans Academy. The older children attend several local public
schools.
AHOPE Ethiopia is presently leasing 4 compounds to provide
facilities for the program. None of the compounds are designed
for its present use, and all improvements necessary to make the
buildings and grounds suitable are to the benefit of the landlord.
Plans have been drawn for AHOPE CHILDREN’S VILLAGE, a facility
that will provide home-like care for the children, spaces for public
events, a clinic, and transitional housing with counseling facilities
for young adults being prepared to emerge from orphanage life
to successful independent adult life in society. M. Mistretta
INTERNATIONAL ADOPTION
Many of the orphans residing in AHOPE’S Children’s Homes are
now finding new families through international adoption. There
are now nearly 100 success stories of HIV positive AHOPE
children being raised in loving families abroad. AHOPE is not an
adoption agency and does not facilitate international adoptions.
There are several reputable agencies committed to helping
improve the lives of HIV positive orphans, by seeking international
families for AHOPE children and by helping HIV+ orphans
remaining in Ethiopia. For additional information about this
growing movement, please see Positively Orphaned or contact
AHOPE for additional information.
BACKGROUND
A recent United Nations report stated that there are 1 million
children in Ethiopia who have been orphaned by AIDS. Many of
these children are infected with HIV. Much misinformation and
superstition surrounds HIV/AIDS within the Ethiopian population,
which has resulted in widespread stigma. Sadly, relatives are
often reluctant to accept children whose parents have died from
AIDS. This has resulted in widespread abandonment of children to
the streets or to institutional care. Providing orphanage care is
not an adequate way to address the problem. Families need to be
encouraged and supported to care for orphaned children at
home, rather than abandoning them.
In 1997, Adoption Advocates International (AAI) began to provide
adoption services for orphaned children in Ethiopia. One in every
six children referred to AAI for adoption tested positive for HIV. In
response, AAI established a children’s home that was exclusively
for the care of children infected with HIV. In 2002, a non-profit
charity was set up to assist in the funding for the HIV positive
children’s home. In 2005, the first pediatric program in Ethiopia
to provide life saving medication was established at AHOPE in
partnership with Worldwide Orphans Foundation. Once consid-
ered a hospice program, AHOPE then became a program of S
M. Mistretta education and hope for a real adult future for every child.
CONTACT
Interviews, images and articles are available by contacting
BETHANY HUNTER
Media Relations
AHOPE For Children
US 310.428.6696 UK +44(0)777.281.9079
TOM STARKO
Executive Director
AHOPE For Children
818.876.9616
SHEENA STEPHENS
Marketing Director
AHOPE For Children
818.519.1188
www.AhopeForChildren.org