Photos – Vulnerable Children Society

VCS Directors land in Ethiopia and visit projects helping kids and teens

Warmest greetings from Ethiopia! Two days ago, Vulnerable Children Society‘s treasurer Tawnya and I arrived in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia’s buzzing urban hub in Eastern Africa. I stepped off the plane to the familiar scent of spiced chilies and diesel fumes. It’s my umpteenth trip to Ethiopia, but each time I get off the plane, it’s the same – a breeze swaying the palms, horns honking, taxi drivers jostling to get my attention, the sounds of melodic Amharic in my ear, and a feeling of coming to a second home.

Tawnya and I usually visit our society’s projects in Ethiopia every year; however, it’s been a year and a half since I’ve been able to visit the kids and teens that we serve. We are both excited to see how the gardens are growing at the Love and Hope Centre, featured above.

Our awesome volunteer Stefan spent 5 months here this spring, helping the afterschool centre guards and parents build a demonstration garden and spread food security in the community. I can’t wait to talk with the moms and neighbours, and see how their own crops are doing.

We brought a new program with us teaching about balanced diets, using a culturally-appropriate version of Harvard’s Healthy Plate.

I can’t wait to see what the women who cook for our 70 kids think about it, especially in light of the crops they are now getting from our onsite garden.

The other project we will be spending time at involves ten special girls, who joined our Teenage Sex Trade Worker Retraining Program just a month ago. The girls are going through a year-long program, living in a group home, getting lots of counselling and intense vocational training. We heard from our partner organization, Hope for Children in Ethiopia, that the girls are learning about cooking and hairdressing right now.

So Tawnya and I are hoping to do the same nutrition workshop, as well as a workshop on cooking for ferengies (foreigners,) to increase their chances of the girls getting jobs in the exploding guest house tourism industry.

Some of the program graduates are already working at hamburger restaurants and guest houses, so it’s a great chance to these 15-19 year olds another employable skill.

To the right: Zenebu and Alemtsehay with their new careers at Lemon Zest Cafeteria. We are so proud of them!

We invite you to follow along with our journey! We can’t send newsletters from Ethiopia, because the wifi is tooooo sloooowwww. But we can post to Instagram and Facebook, and write blog entries! Please check out our social media accounts and see what we are up to. Now out for a delicious meal of injera and tibs… oh yes, I can smell those roasted spices already!

Melkam Addis Amet from Ethiopia! Happy Ethiopian New Year!

Thanks for following along… Arnica and Tawnya

Thin little fellow needs food and care through sponsorship

This thin little boy in Ethiopia really could use your sponsorship to be happy and healthy, and to recieve the medical treatment he requires. He was identified by the local Ethiopian authorities as highly at risk and in need of support. Please consider sponsoring him through our House 2 House program.

You can make all the difference in the world for this little boy from Ethiopia. With your House 2 House sponsorship, he will receive adequate food, shelter, access to education and medical care. Most of the children in this program are affected by HIV/AIDS, and many have lost their parents to the disease.

Make a difference for this deserving child.
#1 Click the link below

#2 Add the amount of $35
#3 Select “Repeating Donation”
#4 Select “Community Child Sponsorship” in the Fund area, and type CM047 in the Message area.
#5 Complete your monthly donation. You will receive your tax receipts directly from CanadaHelps.
Please click the button that shares your name, address and email with the charity, as we really want to know who you are and be able to send you updates on the child and newsletters!
Thanks so much!

Please help this sweet little man by sponsoring him

What a cutester! This little boy in Ethiopia was identified by the local Ethiopian authorities as highly at risk and in need of support. He really could use your sponsorship to be happy and healthy, and to recieve the medical treatment he requires. Please consider sponsoring him through our House 2 House program.

UPDATE: This little boy has been sponsored! Thank you! We still have many many more children waiting, if you are interested in helping another child in need 🙂

Make a difference for this deserving child.
#1 Click the link below

#2 Add the amount of $35
#3 Select “Repeating Donation”
#4 Select “Community Child Sponsorship” in the Fund area, and type CM048 in the Message area.
#5 Complete your monthly donation. You will receive your tax receipts directly from CanadaHelps.
Please click the button that shares your name, address and email with the charity, as we really want to know who you are and be able to send you updates on the child and newsletters!
Thanks so much!

Sponsorship Opportunity: he needs you to put a smile on his face

This solom little guy need your sponsorship to put a smile on his face! With your support, he will be able to get good food, medicine, and go to school. Our partner organization has met this little guy and has told us he really could use your sponsorship to be happy and healthy. He was identified by the local Ethiopian authorities as highly at risk and in need of support. Please consider sponsoring him through our House 2 House program.

Make a difference for this deserving child.
#1 Click the link below

#2 Add the amount of $35
#3 Select “Repeating Donation”
#4 Select “Community Child Sponsorship” in the Fund area, and type CM046 in the Message area.
#5 Complete your monthly donation. You will receive your tax receipts directly from CanadaHelps.
Please click the button that shares your name, address and email with the charity, as we really want to know who you are and be able to send you updates on the child and newsletters!
Thanks so much!

Second call: Brother / sister duo needs a sponsor to get by

This thirteen year old girl does her best to take care of her ten year old brother. but it isn’t easy when they have to fend for themselves and live with extended family. You could help them both my sponsoring this family so the kids can be kids – go to school and have their medical other needs taken care of. Please consider sponsoring her through our House 2 House program.

You can make all the difference in the world for this teen girl and her brother from Ethiopia. With your House 2 House sponsorship, they will receive adequate food, shelter, access to education and medical care. Most of the children in this program are affected by HIV/AIDS, and many have lost their parents to the disease.

Make a difference for these deserving children.
#1 Click the link below

#2 Add the amount of $75
#3 Select “Repeating Donation”
#4 Select “Community Family Sponsorship” in the Fund area, and type FM008 in the Message area.
#5 Complete your monthly donation. You will receive your tax receipts directly from CanadaHelps.
Please click the button that shares your name, address and email with the charity, as we really want to know who you are and be able to send you updates on the child and newsletters!
Thanks so much!

Thank you so much!

2nd Round of Food Aid Feeds Hundreds

Yesterday we received word that Vulnerable Children Society’s second round of food aid was distributed by our wonderful partner, Faya Orphanage. The impact was even greater than we anticipated.

According to the House 2 House program director Sintayehu Habtemariam, 66 families received bags of tef. These families included a minimum of 275 children.

Additionally, 45 students received school materials to start the year off right, and 30 of those students also received some food.

The pictures that follow show people recieving food aid in one area and children with their school materials another area. The lineups went into the evening, but the distribution was calm and organized.

Sintayehu commented on how surprised and grateful the families were: “Everybody was happy. Public media also received the documents. We thank you for everything you did for these children.”

Than you so much to our wonderful donors who made this drought relief work possible. We are truly grateful.