There are an estimated 600,000 children living on the streets in Ethiopia (UNICEF). At AGCI, we see the ripples of poverty and the effects it has on families as we work across Ethiopia. We see families struggling daily to provide regular meals for their children. We even witness the tragedy and impact of a family separated at the AGCI and the Tim Tebow Foundation House of Hope, where we strive to reunify girls with their loved ones.
You can do something today to change the reality for a child in need in Ethiopia. Through our one to one sponsorship program, children have the opportunity to attend school and pursue their dreams without being hindered by poverty!
Life Without Sponsorship for Children in Ethiopia
The children eligible for sponsorship in Ethiopia come from low-income families without permanent, reliable employment. The burden of poverty often leads these children to drop out of school, looking for opportunities to help their family survive. On top of this, to attend school, children need school supplies and clean clothes, resources their families aren’t able to provide. If these children do get to school, they are distracted by hunger, with many families surviving each day off of as little as one meal.
Children who are hungry, worried about money, or concerned about school supplies can’t receive a proper, valuable education. Without completing their education, children grow up in survival mode, doing whatever necessary to make it through life–and at AGCI, we have seen hundreds of children on the streets who struggle with addiction, engage in criminal activity, and tragically experience abuse.
We are determined to bring hope to these children, their families, and even their communities. That is where sponsorship comes in!
Breaking Cycles of Poverty
Our sponsorship program operates in four regions across Ethiopia. Our in-country partners refer children they know are in high need of support, and AGCI staff then meets with the child and their family to determine the level of need. When we determine there is no other means for the child to be supported, they are enrolled in our sponsorship program.
For just $40 a month, sponsors provide the education and resources the child needs to thrive. Thanks to the generosity of sponsors, each individually sponsored child will receive:
School tuition, uniforms, and materials to help the child thrive.
A savings account to empower their family to meet unexpected needs.
Family strengthening workshops to improve the sponsored child’s connection to the most important people in their life.
Long-term care and support through our local team.
Children remain in the sponsorship program until their financial situation has changed or they have graduated from school, equipping them to achieve their goal and dreams and to lead a better life in the future. Though one child is sponsored through the $40 monthly donation, their entire family benefits from the savings account, workshops, and regular support our team provides. Since beginning our sponsorship program, we have helped support more than 1,000 children and families in Ethiopia. In a survey of families in our Ethiopia sponsorship program, we found that:
Children in our program are 3 times more likely to complete high school than their unsponsored peers.
77% of sponsored children live in female headed households, who on average make 86% less than male headed households.
86% of families would be in jeopardy of separating without sponsorship.
79% of AGCI sponsorship families reported being better equipped to respond to unexpected financial emergencies after joining the program.
84% of caregivers attending AGCI family strengthening workshops had never received any type of parent training, and 98% of those who attended reported feeling more confident in their skills as a caregiver after leaving the training.
How You Can Make a Difference
We have children who are waiting to be sponsored today! We believe there is hope for vulnerable children and families in Ethiopia, and you can help provide that hope and prevent these families from suffering further from poverty, and potentially even separating.
You can change lives today through sponsorship. If you have questions about sponsorship, check out our Sponsorship FAQs page! Ready to become a sponsor and bring hope to a vulnerable family? View the children in need of sponsorship now!
