WHAT'S
GOING ON
A vital component to knowing how we can best help is to be aware of the situations and challenges that exist. Read more below to find out what's going on currently in Ethiopia...
Legend has it that the origin of coffee is Ethiopia. The aroma and enjoyment of coffee brings the best in all of us. Allow the best in you to be generous to help children capture their imagination in life.
A study conducted by UNICEF in 2017 shows that there are 4.5 million orphan children in Ethiopia. Studies also show that the growing problem of orphan children in Ethiopia is mainly caused by HIV and AIDS, among other things. Ethiopia has been in war with a neighboring country, Eritrea, for 20 years. The 20-years-long standing war between Ethiopia and Eritrea killed 51,000 men, leaving so many children without fathers and providers. The long-standing war and conflict-ridden administration has exasperated the economy, leaving poor families unable to care for their own children, and causing many families and single parents with little to no resources to give their children over to the streets to fend for themselves.
Among other things that contribute to the growing number of orphans is that Ethiopia has cut the percentage of international adoptions to a minimum, hoping to close it all together. Although this action was taken to protect the children and to allow them to grow in their own culture and community, the country is not in a position to adequately care for its poor.
Although the current political status of Ethiopia is promising and shows improvement, there is still a great cloud of fear of instability as political groups fight for power and position. Even though Ethiopia conducted a fair and democratic election in 2021 for the first time in history. There is hope-mixed anxiety in the air, as Ethiopia still struggles with internal conflict and persisting war. More and more children are becoming orphans, loosing their parents to war and being internally displaced.