“She opens her hand to the poor and reaches out her hands to the needy.” Proverbs 31:20 Welcome to Children’s Life Foundation, a non-profit organization ministering to children and widows in Ethiopia. Our vision is to see children grow into healthy and productive adults by providing nutrition, clothes, uniforms, backpacks, and school supplies.
In 2007 Tigest Assefa, founder of Children’s Life Foundation (CLF), heard a pastor telling about the famine in Ethiopia and how the children were passing out at school from lack of food. Her soul was stirred and she began to think how she could help. She did not work and had two young children. She could only raise money by baking Ethiopian bread for her husband to sell at work. That year she raised enough money to help 30 children with uniforms, backpacks, and school materials. She visited two churches and one village. Today CLF works through at least five churches and three villages, reaching 150 children and 100 widows. Two men are working in Ethiopia so the Foundation operates year around. The founder and Board of Directors are based in Texas.
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In 2008 Children’s Life Foundation became a non-profit organization and began finding children and widows from four churches in Addis Ababa and three villages South of Addis. Pastors of the churches recommend children to become a part of the Foundation. Each child must agree to stay in school, make good grades, and stay in the church. Education is the only way to break the cycle of poverty. The hope of the Foundation is for children to graduate from High School, attend a Trade School, or make a high enough grade on the scholastic test to attend college. In the last seven years, we have begun to see many go on to Trade School or College. Today we minister to 150 children and 100 widows.
One example is three siblings who were orphaned. The oldest daughter took on the role of the other, took care of the house (furnished by CLF), fed the other two, and made sure they were all in school. When she graduated from High S was eligible for College. This left the younger children by themselves. They were frightened and did not know how to take care of themselves. The local church found someone to stay with them in their house. However, she mistreated them so that arrangement came to an end. Another lady agreed to take them into her home. This arrangement worked! The oldest daughter graduated from Medical School with a degree in psychology and has a position in a local hospital. The other two will soon graduate from High School.
Abraham’s mother was widowed leaving her with three boys to feed, cloth, and keep in school. She is HIV positive (HIV is rampant in Ethiopia) and has asthma but every day she washes clothes by hand for people who could afford to pay her. They live under a bridge which is damp, not good for the medical problems she has. The older brothers attended a Trade School to become Electricians and now Abraham will do the same. The three boys plan to take care of their Mother. She will have the needed medicines. Abraham plans to stay with her for now.
Each year when we are there we have a party for all the current graduates to let them know how proud we are of them. We provide caps and gowns and refreshments – always a wonderful cake.
Each year the Founder and a small group of volunteers come for a time to meet with the children, spend time with them, sharing their love and the love of Jesus. All four churches are visited. The children have a two-day camp where they are fed two meals and a snack, sing songs, laugh a lot, and participate in Bible lessons. Each child’s school record is checked. They are measured for new uniforms, receive backpacks and school supplies, clothes, and money. This is a good bonding time between the Founder and the volunteers. The children know they have someone in America that loves them.
Each village is visited. Their school records are checked and they receive new uniforms, if needed, given money and clothes. Great time to talk to them concerning their future. They are older and are at a point where they need to know what to expect from life if they do not have an education. This is a time to hear from the widows and children as to what they have done during the past year.
One year children in the villages who wanted to participate were given goats. The next year when asked how many goats they had one had six, some had two or three, one had just the original goat but they had butchered one.
The widows are a special group of ladies, all with stories. Some the same, some different but the needs are tremendous. They are hungry for love and all want to give hugs and kisses. Most of them walk a long distance to get to the churches. Each one has an opportunity to talk, telling what they have done in the last year. Our hope is they found a way to make a little money to help with food and other needs. Many are too old to work but somehow they are taken care of, even when they have no family members to help. After the example of Jesus washing His disciples’ feet, we show our love for them by washing their feet and giving them a new pair of shoes. They laugh while they are choosing their new clothes. They are very grateful for what little money and nutrition they receive. A few widow stories:
We can only do what God called us to do with the generosity of people like you. You can make a difference by sending a one-timed tax deductible contribution, monthly scholarships for a child, or money to purchase more goats or chickens. If you become a sponsor you will be assigned a child and pictures provided. You can be assured that every penny donated goes directly to the Foundation. For more information about the Foundation or the work done, please call:
SPONSORS FOR MORE CHILDREN THREE MEALS A DAY FOR FOUNDATION CHILDREN TWO UNIFORMS PER YEAR WHEN NECESSARY ESTABLISH TUTORING PROGRAMS FOR CHILDREN SUPPORT WIDOWED MOTHERS OF YOUNG CHILDREN PURCHASE MORE FARM ANIMALS – GOATS AND CHICKENS DOUBLE NUMBER OF CHILDREN AND WIDOWS HELPED BY FOUNDATION.
