Ethiopia – Opportunity House
In March 2007, AAI opened Opportunity House (OH), a home for children with special needs in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to care for babies and young children with serious developmental delays and physical disabilities referred to AAI for adoptive placement. It is often more challenging to find adoptive families for these children, and there are limited resources available within Ethiopia for special needs children. Initially, OH operated a small children's home to assist children with special needs referred for adoptive placement, as well as special needs children within the Addis Ababa community, to develop social, emotional, and educational competence. Start-up costs were provided by a generous grant from the Margaret T. Biddle Foundation.
In 2010, the Ethiopian government approved AAI's Opportunity House as an officially-sanctioned project and affirmed its importance as a model program for special needs children in Addis Ababa. In spring 2011, Opportunity House outgrew its temporary home and was moved to the spacious grounds of Layla House where the children would have more opportunity for physical movement and mainstreaming with the typical children also housed at Layla House. While some of the OH children are eligible for placement with adoptive families, AAI now envisions the future of the program as supporting the developmental progress of children with significant special needs that may not necessarily be adopted. AAI is also making the services provided to children at OH available to special needs children residing at some of our partner orphanages. These services include speech, physical and occupational therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy and play therapy conducted by professionals, but also intensive training for the personnel responsible for the overall care of the children.
In 2011, Abebe Felleke was hired to direct the OH program. His professional emphasis has primarily focused on populations with special needs, including education and therapy advocacy efforts to empower birth parents to meet the needs of their children to avoid institutionalization. Throughout 2011, Abebe has successfully reunited children from the Opportunity House program with their birth parents while making provisions for ongoing educational and therapy supports to the children and families. He has expanded his education efforts to welcome birth family members to participate in all trainings he hosts regarding child care, support, and holistic wellbeing of children with special needs.
The children at Opportunity House, and at our partner orphanages, have a variety of special needs including autism, blindness, deafness, and developmental delays. Treatment is highly individualized and designed to help each child reach his/her maximum developmental potential. We have already seen evidence of great progress--once silent children have begun to speak; a number who were nearly totally immobilized are sitting and even walking with the help of intensive therapy; and they are all learning to interact with others and to communicate their needs appropriately. AAI hopes that programs like OH will help erase the stigma that special needs children and people with disabilities generally suffer and illuminate the progress that is possible with appropriate educational and therapeutic services.
Currently there are about 15 children residing in OH and 12 more receiving our services but living at a partner orphanage. AAI is actively seeking grants, sponsors, and major gifts to help us expand this program to reach more vulnerable children in the Addis Ababa area. In addition, we welcome individuals with expertise in special needs education to provide technical assistance. To donate to OH or to offer volunteer service, please contact Susan Holmgren susan@adoptionadvocates.org .
Care givers, mothers and orphanage representatives under training regarding child care,
support and holistic wellbeing of children with special needs.