I've only recently been researching adoption options in Africa and Ethiopia in particular. Since I don't know when I'll actually be ready to apply, this is exactly the type of thing I've been looking for. I've been researching orphanages that I can help *directly* as opposed to sending some money off somewhere and was pleased to come across this. I'm also a Brownie leader and want to start an acitivity with the girls where we help others around the world. [Not sure if this orphanage accepts material donations ... i.e. shoes, diapers, vitamins, but that is what I'd like to do with the Girl Scouts.]

Thanks for posting this info.! If we sign up for sponsorship for the babies, any guarantee that they will definitely be taken into the program?

Danielle

Thanks so much for posting this, Erin. My husband and I just signed up to sponsor one of the babies (enough to cover all 3 sponsorships needed). We are in the process of adopting an infant from Ethiopia, so we feel strongly about helping as many other kids there as we can. We've been wanting to sponsor a baby (since we will be adopting a baby; we already sponsor an older boy through our adoption agency), and we've been wanting to support AHOPE, so this was perfect. Plus, I think getting the picture in the mail of the baby we're sponsoring from AHOPE will help us chill a bit while we wait for the picture/referral of the baby we're adopting! We're looking forward to visiting both kids we sponsor when we go to pick up our baby. Also, your posts about Ethiopia and your "deep conversations" are amazing. I cried and cried and cried. Then sent the link to our family and friends so they could do the same. Ben is ADORABLE!!! Congrats!!

Thanks again,
Danielle in CO

Thank you SO much to everyone who has stepped forward. You guys are awesome. There is a teenager on one of my adotion email lists who is getting the home rooms in her high school to try and sponsor a child. 30 kids in a homeroom means each kids only needs to donate $1 a month. What a great idea! Every child sponsored makes such a difference.
Thanks again. :)
E

Ok, here is an update on the situation. Sponsors are still desperately needed, but they need to understand that while they will absolutely be matched with a child in need, it may not specifically be on the three babies mentioned above.
Here is an update from the AHOPE director after she spoke with the director again in Ethiopia.

"The call for sponsors is for a situation that is more complicated than it may seem. Actually, we can't take in more kids until we have sustainable long-term funding for an increase in staff, facilities, etc. We did not meet budget goals last year, and we have a lot of kids already who don't have enough sponsors to cover their care. I would have to be able to promise Sidisse that I could increase the amount I send to AHOPE Ethiopia by several thousand USD per month for at least a year before we could expand the program to accept more children. Actually, she is crunching figures now to see how we could possibly take in the three babies (plus more--the need is growing). At this point, your sponsorship application would result in your being assigned a child now in care. Since we have been taking in only the most urgent cases for the past month or so (until we reached our limit) we have received some really heartbreaking cases. One child was scalded and starved by her custodial uncle to hasten her death because she had AIDS. Neighbors and the government authorities intervened, rescued the child and brought her to us. Another child was brought to us after the kindly neighbor who had raised her for 5 years after her parents died when she was a baby, found out that she had AIDS. The neighbors shunned the family, the husband panicked, fearing contagion of their other children. The husband gave the foster mom an ultimatum, so a very confused and sad child was brought to us by the only mom she could ever remember, who was also totally devastated. I just received a photo of a boy who is in the new program to help HIV kids stay with family. He was so malnourished and in such terrible condition in his intake photo, that anyone who sponsors him will get a photo of him a month into care, still terribly thin and sad looking, but infinitely better than he was. This is the kind of thing we are dealing with. So all sponsors and general donations are more than welcome, but you have to understand the situation we face."

Sorry for any misunderstanding from my posts. Communication with Ethiopia can be a bit difficult. The website again for AHOPE is www.ahopeforchildre.org and if you click on donate, you can find the form to be a sponsor. :) Thanks again to everyone who has opened their hearts to help.

Hi Erin, we have also sponsored! It is great to find a place to donate that someone has actually visited and is connected too. Thanks for bringing it to our attention.

Lisa