Meet Gediyon
Aged 6, Ethiopia
Gediyon lives with his mum and younger sister in a single room rented mud house. The family sleep on a hay mattress on the floor as there is no bed, and they have little in the way of other furniture or kitchen utensils. They also have few clothing items or shoes. Gediyon's dad moved away and they are out of touch with him. Gediyon's mum, Kebene, does some domestic work to try and earn enough to take care of her children but the income is small and does not cover all their daily needs. Sometimes they have to skip meals as there is not enough.
Understanding the situation that Gediyon's family were in, Stand by Me have accepted him into the project. Here, with sponsorship provision, he will be provided with a free and good education, quality food, clothes and shoes, medical checks and other kinds of support.
Gediyon is an interactive and friendly child. He likes to go to school and has developed friendships. He likes to learn. In his free time, he loves to play football. When he grows up, he hopes to be a pilot. He is from a Christian family, and likes to sing songs with his friends.
Where Gediyon 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 Gediyon. 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 Gediyon 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.
