Speaker Kevin Morley - Saltergate Children's Home Ethiopia

Saltergate Children’s Home, Ethiopia - 5th Year Anniversary

giving hope, transforming lives

Civil war threatened, billions of locusts eating everything in sight, virus taking hold, little in the way of medical facilities, equipment or doctors – the challenges faced in many African countries today.  Begging on street corners, scavenging on rubbish tips, sleeping on church floors – this is a way of life for thousands of children in Addis Ababa, the sprawling capital of Ethiopia.  Many of the children are unwell, uneducated and undervalued.  Many have physical disabilities and there is no system of support of the kind we have here in the UK.  These children suffer from and witness violence and abuse on a daily basis.  Many more have severe and chronic mental health issues intensified by years without diagnosis let alone treatment.  It follows that many have no sense of self-worth, feel hopeless, lost and abused and know that no one has or ever will care. They believe they are worthless.  This is the world that Saltergate Children’s Home, Ethiopia works in and we are honoured to be seen by many in Addis Ababa as ‘people we can turn to – people who will do all they can to help.’

For the 53 children cared for by Saltergate Children’s Home, Ethiopia this street existence is in the past.  All have food to eat, a roof over their heads and, when they are sick, access to healthcare.  Further, all the over-5s are in school – or will be when they reopen - and it is quite wonderful to see them seizing the chance they have been given.

How does this all start?  The charity has its ratified constitution, reporting mechanism and Charity Commission registration.  All the support structure and regulatory requirements are in place but this is not the essence, the beating heart of the work.  That becomes evident in a singular response to a child in desperate circumstances and is put simply by trustees Kevin and Michelle as ‘how can we help in this situation?’ rather than ‘how can we profit?’  -  ‘what can I give?’ not ‘what can I take?’  Everything that the people associated with Saltergate Children’s Home, Ethiopia do is founded in this heartfelt response.

Kevin and Michelle met in 2007 while they were working in East Africa for Voluntary Services Overseas.  Both teachers, both inspired to work on the front line in a part of the world where access to food, shelter and healthcare cannot be taken for granted. Kevin, Maths teacher from Derbyshire and Michelle, English teacher from London, shared a common approach – ‘how can we be part of the solution?’  After they finished their teaching placements both returned to the UK to attend to family needs – life goes on. But, once immersed in vulnerable communities where children suffer on a daily basis and life is so fragile, it proved to be impossible to just walk away and become blindly indifferent.

It took a few years for the ideas to crystallise but in June 2015 they became reality when a friend, Dr Emebet, called Kevin from Addis Ababa – ‘a baby has been abandoned on the hospital steps, umbilical cord still attached – can you help?’  Well they did help and Saltergate Children’s Home, Ethiopia was up and running.  They called the baby Amanuel and – incredible news – last September he had his first day at school. Proudest boy in the classroom.

Since that phone call in 2015 pastors, teachers, government agencies and doctors have made contact with similar requests – ‘can you help?’ – and at time of writing the charity cares for 53 children.  The operation straddles two countries.  In the UK Kevin and Michelle raise funds and in Ethiopia the children are cared for.  Actually that is not strictly true as the support network has grown and there are volunteers promoting the work in Australia, Denmark, Italy, France and the USA. This in addition to the kind enthusiasts in many towns and cities across England.  When Kevin and Michelle – and a lifelong friend David who became a trustee just after the charity was founded - are not in Ethiopia a team of volunteers oversee the operation communicating daily with the trustees by telephone.

The charity’s model has been commended by a number of churches and organisations including the Rotary Club.  Saltergate Children’s Home, Ethiopia is not structured along the lines of a traditional single large building filled with children. Historically this approach has been shown to have serious flaws even in developed countries.  Instead, the children live in small houses and always with a family member.  This ensures that the safeguarding concerns are minimised and no one associated with the charity is ever alone with a child.  Typically the children live with a grandmother or aunt having become orphaned.  In other cases the father has died and, thus, income has ceased.  Widowed mothers with a child or children are a common sight begging in Ethiopia.

Where appropriate, after listening to the circumstances, Kevin, Michelle and David work through basic steps with the aim of supporting the family on the road to independence.  Food and clothing are usually the first priority – it is no good discussing schooling with a starving child.  Once the basic needs have been addressed then housing and healthcare are looked at – it may be that a child has not had the vaccinations that are available or, if they are HIV+, the antiretrovirals may not have been acquired.  Education is next up as registration in school is a first step to independence. The charity supports many stars, children who are working hard to make the most of their opportunity. Saltergate Children’s Home, Ethiopia started to care for Fekir 4 years ago and her school reports highlight the fact that she has a bright future.  We also care for children who struggle a little in some subjects but they are loved just the same.  Just because little Kenyan can’t do sums doesn’t make him a bad boy.

After caring for the children for nearly 5 years the trustees are seeing them grow and are delighted that the oldest girls Danait and Delina are now in their second year at Admas University.  Danait is studying marketing and Delina is looking to qualify as an accountant.  These two are our trailblazers. As Kevin says, ‘we can point to them and say to the little ones – if they can do it so can you.’

The trustees do not want to create a culture of dependency and the drive to self-sufficiency for the families is always uppermost in the planning.  There are a number of success stories apparent from looking at the big picture.  It occurred that if, say, a widowed mother was supported to independence then clearly the children also benefit.  As a result Alemayoh now manages a market stall, Berhane has been provided with a cooker on which to bake bread for the community and Feven has many customers seeking her services mending clothes on her sewing machine.  This empowerment is starting to pay dividends and the resulting heightened self-esteem is as valuable as the income generated.

Looking to the future the trustees are striving for something really special – the day when those who have been helped become independent and in turn look to help others who are in the same situation they once were.  The completion of the virtuous circle when a child who was once a beggar can willingly help a child on the street is an ultimate aspiration.

After 5 years the trustees of Saltergate Children’s Home, Ethiopia are building strong relations in Addis Ababa and work closely with doctors, teachers and government representatives.  Several projects are being assessed which can benefit hospitals and the community in general and this partnership approach is leading to rewards for all concerned.  Bore holes for access to water, generator installation to provide electricity and building projects are among the initiatives being progressed.

Saltergate Children’s Home, Ethiopia is proud of the fact that no one associated with the work takes any financial benefit from the charity’s income.  All overheads and running costs are met by the trustees themselves and every penny donated goes directly to provide food, housing, healthcare and education for the children. If you would like to hear more about the work of the charity Kevin, Michelle and David would be delighted to meet with you and, if you are ever in Ethiopia, please drop in and meet some of the children.

Website: http://saltergatechildrenshome.org/