<February 2009>

February’s Charity of the Month: Children of the World

The children who reside at Children of the World’s orphanage in Shashemene, Ethiopia, embrace each day as an opportunity to learn so that they may have a chance to break the chains of extreme poverty that lock their chance of having a bright future.

Children of the World (COW) is a nonprofit organization based in Anchorage, Alaska, that provides food, shelter, health care and education programs for orphans and vulnerable children in Ethiopia. Founded by Anchorage nurse Catherine Miller in 2005, COW works with volunteers and local grassroots organizations to provide basic needs to children, while also putting a strong emphasis on the importance of education.

The MDRT Foundation awarded a $5,000 grant to COW to fund the Education is Hope project, which will serve more than 200 orphans in Shashemene — an agrarian town in central Ethiopia. This grant was sponsored by Digby H. Cook, CLU, ChFC, a 10-year MDRT member from Anchorage, Alaska.

More than 80 percent of Ethiopia’s population lives in extreme poverty, according to the United Children’s Fund. As a result, many families cannot afford the fees for their children to attend school. COW’s programs are often the only way that children can receive a public education without the added financial burden for their families.

The Education is Hope project will provide school supplies, uniforms, after-school tutoring, computer classes, medical care and counseling services for children affected by HIV/AIDS. According to Miller, the children in COW’s programs show signs of marked improvement in their social and emotional development. Through education, children not only gain life skills, but also the confidence to reach for their dreams.