School is liberating

I think if you spend any time in a third world country you will be bombarded with emotions, and an overwhelming feeling of helplessness. Which problem to solve first? Poverty? Civil rights? Disease? Corruption? How can you triage? How can these people be best helped? What can I do?

I think there is one key that turns this lock the most effectively in the long run. Education. In the big picture an educated populace can build sustainable economies and stable governments, practice prudent family growth strategies, afford rights to women, children, different creeds and ethnic groups. Develop agricultural practices that can feed a country's people. Help in the war against disease--both in finding cures and in preventing transmission.

It may be a slow solution to develop, but it is steady, reliable and self-fulfilling. It expands exponentially. Teach them how to fish, right?

There is a non-profit organization founded by two adoptive mothers in Ethiopia. It is called Ethio-American Family Services. They run an orphanage in Ethiopia and do so many good works. They have set up an educational sponsorship program because in Ethiopia it costs money to attend school, indeed, in most cases more per child per month than an entire fmaily has to survive for that month. Food or school? You know what goes first. And it inevitably leads to downward spiralling at the country level.

For a tax deductible $32/month--all of which goes to the program: the school ($25) or the in-country Ethiopians running the program ($5--creates jobs), or to wire the money ($2--wish this wasn't true) you can send a child to school, you will choose your child and you can stay in touch.

Our son A is sponsoring a boy out of his allowance, Fitsum:


Fitsum is 8 years old and a 2^nd grade student with good academic performance. Fitsum wants to be a doctor when he grows up. Both his mother and father have passed away. Currently he is living with his grandmother, a janitor who earns a monthly salary of 30 USD.



A chose Fitsum because he liked that he wants to be a doctor. They will write to each other and A will get to meet him when we travel to Ethiopia to bring home our daughter. This will also help him understand the world his sister comes from and form the basis of a bond.

Please visit the website:

http://ethioamericanfamily.org/children

Consider helping or pass the information on to others that may be able to help. Maybe your child's school can sponsor a child as part of a global outreach program? Maybe you can give someone the gift of sponsorship for Christmas this year?

Lauren