Like the majority of those who apply for Lelt Foundation’s assistance, Amanuel’s family has been stuck in deep crisis – unable to escape the swift current of poverty that traps so many families like his.
In the Fall, his mother requested support for their family from the Lelt Foundation. The youngest of Emmuye’s four children, 8-year old Amanuel, wasn’t able to attend school. The cost of a school uniform and the $3 registration fee make even public schools cost prohibitive for the poorest families.
Emmuye was born and raised in southern Ethiopia with three brothers and four sisters. Her family farmed, but had so little land that they couldn’t raise enough food to make an income. Emmuye’s parents didn’t send their children to school, so the children spent their days working on the farm.
When she was 10 years old, she traveled with her older sister to Addis Ababa in hope of finding good jobs and attending school. They rented a room in the city and started working as domestic servants. There was never time for school. Eventually, Emmuye sought escape from this life through marriage. After surviving a difficult relationship with a man who left her with an infant, she married Chuchu. They had three children of their own, with Amanuel being the youngest. But four years ago Chuchu had an accident at work, leaving him blind and unable to continue working as a day laborer. This left the family’s only source of income to be Emmuye’s job as a street cleaner, which pays so little that this family often goes hungry.
Without help, Emmuye’s children have little to no hope of having a life different from their mother’s or father’s. With Lelt’s assistance several months ago, Amanuel started to attend kindergarten regularly. He has been eating lunch six days a week in our Community Center and receiving after school tutoring to help move up towards his grade level. But this assistance cannot be maintained without the support of a sponsor. For just a few dollars a month, you can help this child reach his dreams of becoming a doctor when he grows up. Please consider a sponsorship of Amanuel today.
Comments