Meet Zerihun
Aged 7, Ethiopia
Zerihun lives with his mother and younger brother in a small rented house. The family have no furniture and their home is in a poor condition, with old iron sheets for the roof and an earth floor. The family use firewood for cooking and collect water from a community water project at the market. They share a toilet with four other households in their compound. Zerihun's mother has casual work, such as baking bread and washing clothes, but has no steady form of income, making it difficult to provide for their needs.
Having been accepted into the care of Stand by Me, and with sponsorship support, Zerihun will now benefit from regular nutritious meals, access to healthcare and the opportunity of a life changing education. Zerihun is a happy and confident young boy who is very well disciplined and loves playing football. Blue is his favourite colour and his favourite subject is math. When he grows up Zerihun would like to be an English teacher. Zerihun and his family attend a local church for worship.
Where Zerihun lives
Ethiopia is one of the poorest countries in the world. Famine, HIV/Aids and extreme poverty have resulted in millions of orphans and a life of hardship for the majority of its population. Nearly one million children are orphaned as a result of HIV/Aids. A lack of investment in education and a high dependency on child labour has left five million children without access to an education. Educational opportunities for girls are lower than boys as they are expected to do domestic work or marry at an early age.
Our two schools, the Bethany School and the Abdi Academy are today providing the poorest children with a quality education, daily food, health care and family support. Our Children’s Village has two family homes which care for orphaned and at risk children.
Why Stand by Me?
How your donation is used
92% of your donation will be used to directly provide the best care possible for Zerihun. We’ll use the remaining 8% to support the work of Stand by Me and find a sponsor for the next child.
What you receive
When you sponsor Zerihun you will receive a pack in the post with his story and photo. Every year you will receive an update about his/her progress, a new photo and at least one communication from him/her.
Real relationship
We know our kids love to receive your letters and write back so we encourage you to write as many letters as you like, along with photos and birthday gifts to develop a genuine relationship.
Not sure yet?
Ask us anything. We’ve helped sponsors change 1000s of kids’ lives, and we know it can be a big decision. We’re here to help you every step of the way.
