Ethiopia (MNN) ― Drought, environmental degradation, rapid population growth, political unrest, poverty, and AIDS make life challenging for children growing up in Ethiopia. As a result, many orphans and vulnerable children desperately need help.

To help these kids, Bethany Christian Services began a partnership with Gelegela Integrated Orphans and Destitute Family Support Association in 2008. Since 2004, Gelegela has been caring for orphaned and abandoned children, destitute women, and poor families. Bethany's partnership with Gelegela focuses on providing institutional care, adoption, and child sponsorship. It serves a total of about 200 children.

Gelegela provides food, medical care, hygiene supplies, and clothing for 75 children at an orphanage in Addis Ababa, the capital city. Bethany helped upgrade and equip the Addis Ababa facility, and is helping to support 25 orphans living with HIV/AIDS at Alem Bank Care Center of Gelegela in Addis Ababa.

In addition, Bethany supplies about 100 children in the towns of Woliso, Sebeta, and Hadiya with clothing, school supplies and uniforms, food, and hygiene supplies. They work with the government to sponsor very poor children. This sponsorship program allows kids to live with families, relatives, or legal guardians rather than in institutional settings.

Through this program, Bethany has placed 20 children with permanent families through international adoption. You can help by sponsoring a child