Drought in Africa: Where is Compassion?
You’ve watched as the crisis in East Africa has unfolded, you’ve been praying and now you’re ready to respond. Now the question is, “What is Compassion doing amid this crisis?”
Continue Reading ›A Safe Haven for Children
Shortly after joining the sponsorship program, Rediet and her sister realized that the child development center was their safe haven where they could enjoy their childhood and forget the misery they witnessed at home.
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Where Are They Now?
Though the degree of poverty varied and each family’s story was different, these people had one thing in common that day — they had hope. Hope that God heard their plea for help; hope that this would be the beginning of a brighter future for their children; and hope that the children they held in their arms would be sponsored.
How Important Is a Father’s Role in a Child’s Life?
Whether walking into a coffee shop or walking down a dirt road to a child development center, fathers can use their powerful influence to change the life of a child.
Inspired to Lead
“The counsel I got from Zewde, who is like a mother to me, is what helped me be who I am today. She helped me see that if I work hard today I would be a great person tomorrow and achieve my dreams. She used every opportunity to keep me away from my friends who were bad influences on me and give me advice on life. She instilled in me the desire to pursue my education and told me to never lose sight of my purpose,” says Sheleme.
The Life of an Abducted Bride
Despite the Ethiopian government’s efforts to eradicate bridal abduction, it’s still frequently practiced in some rural areas. Bridal abduction has been illegal since 2005, but outside of the capital, the law is interpreted very loosely by the police and judges. Hence, girls as young as 11 years old are abducted and are given in marriage to men much older than them.
Preparing Children for the Leadership Development Program
Preparing students for the Leadership Development Program is a longtime process and one that requires long-term planning. We believe that if we work on the foundation, our children will be competent in any setting. Therefore, we invest in them starting from their childhood.
Who Are the Highly Vulnerable Children We Serve?
Destu and her brother lost their parents and were left under the care of their aunt, who was also a prostitute. Destu assumed the responsibility of raising her brother and managing the house since their aunt was never at home to care for them.
What is Poverty?
What is poverty? Our President, Wess Stafford, defines poverty and describes our solution for releasing children from poverty in Jesus’ name.
UPDATED: Nov. 18, 2011 – We also have a photo essay from the Compassion Bloggers trip to Ecuador which asks the same question; What is poverty?
Gezahegne’s Community Development Work
Gezahegne is director of Mekanisa Addis Kidan Child Development Center, one of the oldest child development centers in Addis Ababa, the capital city of Ethiopia. When asked to initially volunteer his time as the center accountant in 1991, he said, “For this kingdom work, I will do it.”
The idea for the center began in 1989 through the initiative of Gezahegne and other church leaders who discussed various options to evangelize in the community. After these many discussions, Gezahegne says, “We agreed that Compassion would be the best method.”
At the time, Compassion required only three people to start a child development center – an accountant, a social worker, and a director. Gezahegne’s accounting experience prompted the church elders to invite him to that position.
After Gezahegne’s initial work as the center accountant, he was approached again by the church elders to become the center director.
As Gezahegne reflects on the impact of his program, he says,
“When I was a child, my friends and I had no direction or guidance growing up. Here at Compassion we fight to protect the children from negative influences, and we give them support to continue their education.”
This academic support for the children comes in the form of tutorial classes and money for school fees and materials, including clothing. However, the program also provides for their physical and spiritual needs as well; Compassion gives grains and other food stuffs, hygienic materials, and provides summer and Vacation Bible School and Bible studies for the children.
The child development center is located in one of the poorest communities in Addis Ababa, near the city dump where many beggars reside, pilfering through the garbage to get food. (more…)
The Stigma of HIV and AIDS
One of the huge challenges facing people living with HIV around the world is not only the physical illness, but the overwhelming stigmatization and discrimination that exists in many countries.
World AIDS Day
Poverty is multi-faceted. It is much more intricate than just a lack of money.
And like many other aspects of poverty, HIV and AIDS have the ability to take a frightening toll on children.
Today is World AIDS Day, and I’m taking it as an opportunity to let you know how committed we are to fighting the disease.
It begins with our AIDS Initiative program, which is working on a grassroots level through the local church to take on the AIDS pandemic, one child at a time.
Ok, pause.
AIDS Initiative, pandemic, poverty . . . I don’t like throwing around these words. It is easy to just roll over the keyboard and punch out the words. But can you imagine? I mean really, can you even imagine what it is like to be infected with HIV or affected by AIDS?
To better understand the effect HIV and AIDS have on people, particularly people in the developing world, and to get a better glimpse into what the Lord is doing through Compassion, I think we need to unpack a few details. I hope your mind is engaged and your heart is prepared because I am about to give you just that.
Now, as I was saying, our AIDS Initiative works to aid one child at a time. For example, this child:
