Ever since taking on the role of Sponsorship Coordinator at Addis Jemari in March of 2018, I have been excited to begin the work. Sponsorship is something that is near and dear to my heart. Being a long-time sponsor of a child in Ethiopia myself, then having the opportunity to meet him in person, helped me understand the impact that sponsorship can have on the life of someone.
I strongly believe that one way that we can change the world and make a difference in our lifetime is to help change the life of another. In early 2019, Addis Jemari launched its Family Empowerment Program (FEP). We are dedicated to getting involved in the lives of their beneficiaries and helping them help themselves. That’s called empowerment. The program is now in full swing, and we can’t wait to tell you more about it over the next several months.
I had the privilege of visiting Addis Ababa in mid-January with an AJ administrative team just as things were getting started in the FEP program. Our government filings were finally approved and in place, and Minassie, our FEP coordinator on the ground in Ethiopia, had just begun meeting with our potential FEP families. Minassie is a brilliant, educated, well-spoken man with a kind heart. He collected informative and detailed information of the families that have been identified by the government as needing desperate and immediate help to see if they met the criteria of our program.
His reports and findings are vital in the process of selecting our families and we were humbled and eager to hear the stories that he shared about these families. Many of the situations were hard and heartbreaking, but I was excited because with the help of our donors, hope is coming!
Addis Jemari will be able to provide relief in the way of not only basic needs to these families, but also solutions for sustainable solutions for the future through education, financial literacy training, counseling services, discipleship opportunities, and job and life skills training. We will continue to keep you informed as the program moves along. We would love for you to pray for us, pray for these families and consider joining us by becoming an FEP sponsor.
For $60 a month, which breaks down to just $2 a day, you can join us in making a real difference in the lives of others. www.addisjemari.org/sponsorfep
Reach out to me if you have any questions! You can email me at sponsorship@addisjemari.org.
~Becky Highsmith, Sponsorship Coordinator for Addis Jemari