Adoptive Parents form “Ethiopian Orphan Relief, Inc.” to Fund Relief Projects in Ethiopia
July 18, 2008—While adding to their families through international adoption, the Founder and Board Members of Ethiopian Orphan Relief, Inc. (EOR) had the privilege of visiting Ethiopia, including the opportunity to visit the orphanages in which their children lived, and the communities in which they grew up.
In Ethiopia, one in ten children will die in infancy, and nearly double that number will die by their fifth birthday due to tetanus, infections or diarrhea. At present, 13.2% of children in Ethiopia-–3.8 million–-are orphaned. International adoption touches only a tiny fraction of these orphans; in 2006, only 731 Ethiopian orphans were adopted by American parents.
Through discussions with Ethiopians over the course of their trips, they learned of numerous challenges facing Ethiopian children and their caregivers. These are as mundane as the lack of clean water, as complex and enormous as the orphan problem, and as tragic as children constructing their only toys from objects found in trash heaps. They saw a country ravaged by HIV/AIDS, and an entire generation of parents perishing. They also saw a beautiful country, filled with many wonderful people, and a place where there is hope.
As a result of what they saw, and their desire to help, these adoptive parents formed EOR in early 2008. EOR is a 501(c) (3) non-profit charity that works to improve the living conditions and lives of Ethiopian orphans by working with Ethiopian orphan care groups to provide supplies, infrastructure and experiences.
At present, EOR has partnered with established non-governmental organizations such as the SOS EE/Toukoul Orphanages (a home for over 300 orphans in Ethiopia), AHOPE for Children (a home for HIV positive children in Ethiopia), Children’s Heaven (a home for orphaned teenage girls in Ethiopia) and Children’s Home Society and Family Services Hope for Hosanna Project (a project by an American adoption agency to build a school and medical facility in Ethiopia).
EOR’s current projects are to provide a playground at Toukoul, a water filtration system for AHOPE for Children, a facility to house Children’s Heaven and a sanitation system for the Hope for Hosanna School.
If you would like to contribute to these projects, or receive more information please contact EOR at info@ethiopianorphanrelief.org. You may also visit the website at www.ethiopianorphanrelief.org or the blog at www.ethiopianorphanrelief.wordpress.com
Contact:Danielle Marquis, President, Ethiopian Orphan Relief, Inc. 6791 Brook Forest Drive, Evergreen, Co 80439, 303-674-1290, Danielle@ethiopianorphanrelief.org
