WHFC Sponsorship

Today we received a packet from Wide Horizons with information on the child and family we just started to sponsor this month. He is a 10-year-old boy living in Kebado, in the Sidama region of Ethiopia. We will call him "MB".

The way the program works is by a monthly fee of $35, families in Ethiopia are able to fulfill basic needs like food, clothing, shelter, medical care and education. They are also provided social work support like counseling.

The area of Ethiopia where MB lives is lush and fertile, but unfortunately, agricultural infrastructure is poor so only the wealthy are able to have large harvests. Many of the families that are sponsored by WHFC are encouraged to start small businesses such as "rearing livestock, owning small shops, mule transportation, honey bee hives, craft making, making and selling tea, and photography to name a few." (letter I received about the Family Empowerment Program)

Most of the families starting entrepreneurhip - like MB's family - have only completed the initial steps and need support and advice on how to save funds and handle the startup process. As of exactly a year ago, MB's family was receiving counseling and was starting to spend more money on daily consumption. The family has only saved up 80 Birr so far, which is less than $5 U.S.

MB's family's targeted business is bicycle rental, rearing animals, retailing local drink in their home, and their monthly income generated is 300 Birr, or just under $18 U.S. Their business was initiated in September of 2008. The challenges they have faced in the past was little or no customers, but they are fortunate enough to have their own house that they can use to run their business out of.

As of last year, the estimated time for the family to reach self-sufficiency was two years.

Both of MB's parents have died of chronic disease. He lives with his grandmother, aunt, cousins and siblings. Thankfully, he is in good physical condition and is currently healthy. He likes to play football and ride a bike. His daily activities include cleaning the house, looking after cattle and helping his family.

This information was sent to me in the packet from the past two years of sponsorship. They update annually. According to the 2009 update, MB's previous sponsors didn't correspond with him. Not cool!

I am going to write to him often, and hopefully visit him and his family one day!

I'm hoping another update will come shortly, since it has been a year since that last annual update.

If you are interested in child sponsorship or any other type of humanitarian aid, you should definitely check out Wide Horizons for Children. They are reputable and experienced and have some great programs, not just sponsorship and not just in Ethiopia. Check them out here.