Ethiopian Orphanage Project Update

To all who are considering becoming part of the Ethiopian Orphanage Project:

Haregewoin Teferra was widowed suddenly and after that, nursed her daughter to her death. Devastated, she spent her time going from church to church and sitting on a bench near her daughter’s grave. She decided to become a hermit, living on what she could beg from people visiting the cemetery. She went to the churches to say goodbye and a Catholic priest asked her to take in a teenager whose parents had died of AIDS. Given a new purpose, someone to mother, she said yes and yes again when he asked her to take in another teenager. The kebele, the community group in charge of placing orphans, discovered she would take in children orphaned by AIDS and asked her to take in two younger children. Those four grew to twenty and then thirty children. She moved to a bigger house and currently has two houses and over seventy children.

Mrs Teferra’s story is chronicled in a book by Melissa Fay Greene titled There Is No Me Without You which is available in the Silver Falls Library. I read this book in January 2007, the third anniversary of my being diagnosed with multiple myeloma, an incurable blood cancer. I was feeling tremendously sorry for myself as I read about this amazing woman and the work she is doing and I decided that Silverton should adopt her and her orphanage and that I should be the one to start things off. Plan A was to try for 501c3 status but the IRS regulations are such that this project does not qualify so donations are NOT tax deductible. After jumping through various hoops for four months, I finally had a plan, Plan E or F, I lost count.

The Ethiopia Orphanage Project is sponsored by St Paul Social Justice Commission. St Paul Parish will act as an administrative agent, collecting and holding the money in a special account. They will wire the money [and pay the outgoing wiring fees] to Mrs Teferra’s bank account in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Because donations are not tax deductible, no receipts will be sent.

Started in Addis, Ababa, Ethiopia, in September 2001, the orphanage provides food, medical care, bedrooms, dining rooms, playing areas, a garden, television, shower room, education, counseling, clothing, and recreation for HIV and non HIV children ranging from one day old to fifteen years old. There is a general assembly which elects the board. The board appoints a manager and approves programs planned to meet the goals of the organization. An executive body oversees day to day activities and the budget. Staff are trained to meet the emotional and physical needs of the children. Mrs Teferra lives with the children.

Although there are now anti-retroviral drugs available, AIDS continues to be a major problem in all of Africa. It would be best if there were no orphans at all and some progress is being made on that front, but adults continue to get and die of AIDS leaving their children to be cared for by relatives. When those relatives are too poor to add another child to their household which is common in a country where people live on a dollar or two a day, there is the orphanage to care for them. Though the orphanage is licensed by the government, it receives no federal money which is why I started the Project. Now it is your turn.

To help Mrs Teferra and her orphanage, send a check or make an online donation following your bank’s instructions to St Paul Social Justice/Ethiopia, 1410 Pine St, Silverton OR 97381. Make the check and online donation out to St Paul Social Justice/Ethiopia. Money will be wired to her quarterly for three years; dates are on the pink card.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS ORGANIZATION SEE: http://www.thereisnomewithoutyou.com/ and http://www.awmosa.org/ The book and website tell the story of Haregewoin Teferra who founded Atetegeb Worku Memorial Orphans Support Association in 2001 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

LEGAL STATUS:
Atetegeb Worku Memorial Orphan Support Association (AWMOSA) is an indigenous Non-Governmental Organization established in September 2001. It is registered with the Ministry of Justice, has an operational agreement with the Disaster Prevention and Preparedness Commission and a Project Agreement with Addis Ababa City Administration, Social & Civil Affairs Bureau.

MISSION:
Its mission is to house and support children orphaned by AIDS, both HIV-positive and HIV-negative; to provide food, clothing, education, and medical care to the children; to reunite children with surviving family members whenever possible; to seek new family situations if necessary through licensed inter-country adoption agencies from North America and Europe; and to promote employment among adults living with AIDS.

Thank you for your generosity,
Marilyn Hall
503.873.3371