What We Do

Outreach to widows with children - living on the Streets

  • Many women in Ethiopia have lost their husbands because of the war. Left to care for their children alone, they face hardship—struggling each day to find food, shelter, and hope. Many end up on the streets with their little ones, simply trying to survive.

  • At Hope for Kids (HFK), outreach is relational, intentional, and firmly rooted in Christ-centered principles. Our trained outreach team engages with vulnerable families through consistent, compassionate visits to street locations such as churches, mosques, markets, bus stations, construction sites, and informal settlements. We also collaborate closely with government authorities, local church leaders, and former beneficiaries, who help identify widows and children in need. This holistic, spiritually guided approach allows HFK to gain an in-depth understanding of the challenges families face on the streets and to respond with both practical assistance and the love of Christ.

    Widows with children are identified through ongoing presence, careful observation, and meaningful conversation rather than brief or sporadic encounters. Many of these women live in unsafe or unstable shelters or rely on begging for survival. Trust is built gradually, as outreach workers listen attentively to their stories, meet immediate needs—such as food, medical care, and spiritual encouragement—and walk alongside them with patience and compassion. Relationships are often strengthened through the involvement of trusted church leaders and respected community members, ensuring that families feel valued, safe, and understood.

  • At HFK, “rescue” is not automatically equated with institutionalization. Whenever it is safe and feasible, we prioritize family preservation, trusting that children flourish best within a stable, caring family environment. In such cases, children receive holistic support that includes access to education, nutritious food, medical care, spiritual guidance, and psychosocial support. Families may also receive assistance with housing, vocational training, and income-generating opportunities to stabilize their livelihoods and promote long-term independence.

    Children are admitted to the Hope Center only in high-risk situations where their safety, health, or dignity is seriously compromised—such as abuse, homelessness, severe neglect, or substance dependency. In these cases, HFK provides full-time residential care in a secure, nurturing, and faith-filled environment, designed to restore hope, dignity, and a sense of belonging. Through this balanced, Christ-centered approach, HFK ensures that every intervention prioritizes the child’s best interests while honoring the intrinsic value of family and the transformative power of God’s love.

  • We empower these widows to rebuild their lives by teaching them practical skills and trades. Whether it’s baking bread, crocheting clothes, or running a small business, they are now learning how to thrive in life. We aim to find a solution for them to learn how to live out of the Hope Center on their own. Many who have already come through have already started thriving businesses. What was once a story of despair is becoming one of hope and a brighter future—for themselves and their children.

Meet Edom - A mother abandoned to her fate

Education

  • Hope for Kids (HFK) is committed to ensuring that every child has access to quality education tailored to their age, background, and individual learning needs. Children are enrolled in public schools or participate in alternative and basic education programs, particularly for older children who begin formal learning later in life. In addition, HFK provides tutoring and structured after-school academic support at the center to reinforce learning and improve performance.

  • Educational support at HFK is strengthened by intentional spiritual care, which plays a vital role in children’s academic progress. Through prayer, mentoring relationships, age-appropriate biblical teaching, and values-based guidance, children develop discipline, self-esteem, perseverance, and a sense of purpose—qualities that positively influence their learning behavior and school engagement. By integrating academic instruction with life-skills training, mentorship, and spiritual formation, HFK’s holistic approach equips children not only with knowledge, but also with the character, motivation, and resilience needed to succeed in education, work, and community life.

  • At Hope for Kids, we believe every child has a bright future. When the world looked the other way, God saw these street children—children full of potential! Future doctors, business leaders, and world changers. Once living on the streets, they are now stepping into a life filled with hope, care, and opportunity.

Change another child's life today

Medical Care

  • Upon arrival at Hope for Kids (HFK), every child undergoes a comprehensive health assessment, including full medical screening and required vaccinations. Routine medical checkups are conducted on a regular basis, and emergency care is provided promptly when needed, with referrals made to hospitals or specialized health facilities as appropriate. Nurses, caregivers, and social workers closely monitor each child’s health on a daily basis, ensuring that any concerns are identified and addressed without delay.

    This proactive and integrated approach to healthcare safeguards children’s physical well-being and enables them to participate fully in spiritual formation, education, vocational training, and other holistic development programs. By caring for the body as well as the mind and spirit, HFK creates a strong foundation for healing, growth, and long-term well-being.

  • Some children arrive at the Hope Center struggling with substance dependence, including glue, khat, and cigarettes. At Hope for Kids (HFK), such cases are addressed through a medical and trauma-informed approach, recognizing addiction as a complex health, emotional, and spiritual challenge rather than a moral failing. Children receive medically supervised detox support and ongoing health monitoring to ensure their safety and well-being throughout the withdrawal process.

  • Many children come to Hope for Kids (HFK) carrying deep physical and emotional wounds as a result of neglect, poverty, and life on the streets. These challenges often include malnutrition, skin and respiratory infections, intestinal parasites, untreated injuries, and trauma-related stress. Recognizing both the visible and hidden suffering of each child, HFK responds with compassion and urgency by providing immediate medical care, proper nutrition, and consistent emotional support.

    Grounded in the love and healing power of God revealed through Christ Jesus, HFK views holistic care as part of God’s redemptive work in the lives of these children. Through comprehensive health and psychosocial interventions, children are stabilized, restored, and strengthened—physically, emotionally, and spiritually—so they may fully engage in education, vocational training, and discipleship programs. This integrated approach reflects our faith in God’s power to heal, renew, and bring lasting hope and salvation to every child entrusted to our care.

  • Hope for Kids (HFK) is committed to safeguarding the health and well-being of every child through structured medical care and diligent, ongoing monitoring. Children receive regular medical examinations through monthly visits by qualified healthcare professionals, while medical emergencies are addressed without delay through referral to appropriate hospitals and specialized facilities. Trained nurses and health workers provide daily health supervision, ensuring that each child’s physical condition is carefully observed and that any concerns are promptly and responsibly addressed.

    Guided by faith in the compassionate and healing power of God through Christ Jesus, HFK understands healthcare as both a professional responsibility and a ministry of restoration. This comprehensive approach to healthcare promotes not only physical wellness but also emotional stability and spiritual renewal, enabling children to grow in strength, dignity, and hope. As their health is sustained and restored, children are better equipped to learn, thrive, and experience holistic transformation rooted in God’s saving grace.

  • In addition to medical care, children are provided with counseling, trauma healing, consistent emotional support, and Christ-centered spiritual guidance. Structured daily routines, peer encouragement, mentoring, and prayerful devotion help children regain stability, hope, and a renewed sense of purpose. The recovery process is conducted gradually, safely, and with patience, dignity, and grace—never through punishment or isolation. At HFK, restoration is holistic, rooted in compassion, spiritual nurturing, and long-term healing that cares for the mind, body, and spirit.

Aftercare Program

  • HFK provides a transformative Aftercare Program designed to ensure that every child comes to know and believe in God through Jesus Christ and is empowered to live a life that profoundly influences their generation for His glory. This program goes beyond meeting immediate needs, guiding children into a journey of spiritual awakening, moral integrity, and purposeful living. Through continuous mentorship, discipleship, educational support, vocational training, counseling, and spiritual guidance, children are nurtured to embrace their identity in Christ and to understand the divine calling on their lives.

    As they grow in faith, these children are encouraged to develop hearts of compassion, resilience, and service—becoming beacons of hope in their families, schools, and communities. They learn to demonstrate God’s love in practical ways, to forgive, to persevere through challenges, and to lead with wisdom and humility. HFK’s aftercare ensures that the children not only overcome the trials of their past but also step confidently into a future shaped by faith, hope, and purpose.

  • Ultimately, the program seeks to raise a generation of children whose lives testify to the redeeming power of Jesus Christ—children who will shine as living examples of God’s healing, restoration, and transformative grace, influencing those around them and leaving a lasting spiritual and social impact on their communities and nation.