Dear Friend of ACN,
“Thank you” does not seem sufficient to express our gratitude for the unwavering support of all seven ACN pilot programs over the past five years. The success of each program would not have been possible without your continued financial support, prayers and encouragement. Be encouraged as you stand with us today, knowing that your selfless actions have made the unthinkable possible in the nation of Ethiopia.
While there are many different programs in the country that work to provide food and job training to needy mothers, the ACN childcare program is the first of its kind to provide childcare assistance. What good does it do for a mom to train for employment and get a job if she can’t afford to pay for childcare and does not have someone to watch the children while she is away? Bridging the gap between the day-to-day struggles of single parenthood with programs like the Childcare pilot changed the lives of vulnerable families forever.
There are so many things that make the ACN vision so unique and original, perhaps most significant stemming from the fact that all programs are run by local volunteers. Running these hope centers by harnessing volunteer manpower is entirely new to Ethiopia. Slowly but surely, the introduction of a volunteer culture is making a huge difference in the local communities and is fundamentally changing the hearts and minds of entire regions.
In all seven of ACN’s pilot programs, the goal has been to test the idea of mobilizing professional and non-professional volunteers within the community to launch support programs borrowed from developed nations. If successful, the next stage will be to partner with leaders of the country to take these pilot programs and to make them into a nationwide initiative. Miraculously, that day has finally come!
After 5 years of hard work piloting these seven community-based programs, in 16 different sites in Addis and the immediate surroundings, we have proof positive that these initiatives are successful! When awareness is created, the right tools and training are provided and the necessary funding is made available, the people of Ethiopia do rise up to be a local solution to a local – and nationwide – problem. And rise-up they did!
Based on the amazing results of the pilot, we developed a scale up model we call our “three-legged stool” , basically a collaboration of local volunteers, the government, and the local implementing NGO partners to take these programs to the next level. Over the next two years, we will be busy piloting this model in the existing 16 sites and adding 12 more sites within the southern region and Addis. We recently signed an agreement with the mayor’s office in Addis Ababa, the Cabinet Office for Women, Children and Social Affairs as well as with the Agency for Civil Society to pilot this model with a plan to take these programs to a national level.
Needless to say, your partnership is needed now more than ever to accomplish the work we have set in motion over the past five years. God willing, the goal of the nation is to use the ACN collaboration model to serve the 5 million vulnerable children in all spectrum of care and in all regions of Ethiopia by drawing on the power of 5 million local volunteers to run the seven strategic programs. Can we count on your support to keep this important work moving forward and changing lives and generations to come?
With Gratitude,
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