The Awassa Children’s Center provides housing, education, career training, healthcare and support to approximately 60 children, most of whom have been orphaned by the AIDS epidemic.

Here are some of the highlights of the Awassa Children’s Center 2006 accomplishments:

* Children's Education. All of the children living in the Center will attend a private school for the 2008-2009 school year. Currently more than 35% of the children are ranked in the top three academic positions in their respective classes. The academic success of the children has increased as a result of our educational extension programs, which include summer camp and after-school tutoring.

* Children's Housing. There are currently 43 children under 14 years of age who live at the Center. They are living on 3 newly constructed houses on the campus. Currently there is a new children's home under construction that will have the capacity for 20, allowing the Awassa Children's Center to increase the number of children that it serves.

* Career Education. The Awassa Children's Center hosts a well-equipped vocational training center. The training center consists of a computer lab, and metal, carpentry, and electrical workshops. The participants of the vocational training programs are from the local Awassa community. Each training program lasts for 10 months. Upon completion of the program participants decide if they would like to find employment individually or apply for a micro-loan as a group.

* Income Generation. The Awassa Children's Project is equipped for making high quality concrete bricks and hollow blocks to be sold in the community. The metal workshop and wood workshop also serve as a means of income generation for the center through the production of window frames, bed frames, chairs, tables, and doors.

* Health Care. The Center has a private clinic and nurse to give emergency treatment and to prevent the spread of communicable diseases. Through the clinic the children and house mothers receive health education and regular check-ups. The children use mosquito nets to prevent malaria and none have contracted the disease this year.

* Environment. The Awassa Children's Center has planted over 10,000 indigenous plants and trees on 17,000 square meters of land around the Center. The Center also produces its own coffee and vegetables in a garden that is tended by the children. During seasonal harvests the garden supplements the diets of those living in the Center.

For more information about Children Services, Career Education program or environmental work on the Green Awassa Project, simply follow the links below:

Children Services

Career Education

Environment

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