Sponsorships transforming the lives of children in Ethiopia

A team of Chosen Vision Trip Visitors from the United States of America consisting of four churches represented by six VIP Pastors visited the World Vision Ethiopia Bena Tsemay Area Programme from 15-18 August 2023. The purpose of the visit was to see the amazing work of World Vision and the different projects implemented to empower and transform the lives of children in Ethiopia. The team attended the chosen event organised at Kako Village.  It met and discussed with the community elders and religious leaders who are working in partnership with World Vision to ensure the well-being of the children and the community.

Senior Pastor of Elizabeth Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia, Dr. Craig L. Oliver, was the leader of the Chosen Vision Trip Team. He says, "Our church in Atlanta, Georgia, has been partnering with World Vision Ethiopia for the last two years and has sponsored about 1,300 children from Ethiopia. We had an incredible experience with World Vision domestically at home, and we appreciate their heart and their passion for children, which was similar to the vision of EBC."

When asked about his expectations versus his experience, he says, "The experience was nothing less than my expectations, but it truly exceeded my expectations." The excellence with which the programmes are executed and the incredible staff that works here in Ethiopia, as well as their engagement and expectations, have been great.  The numerous methods used to bring about transformation in diverse communities, particularly in the lives of children, have been extraordinary." He further noted that he was lucky to travel abroad to many different places and experience many different projects and programmes of the same nature as World Vision. "However," he added, "World Vision is at the highest level of excellence, execution, and specialisation of staff and team."

The church has a plan to create strong partnerships and alliances with World Vision and reach more and more communities, especially children, with safe and clean water moving forward. "Our long-term commitment is that Elizabeth Church will continue to sponsor more children as we move forward and even develop a strong alliance and relationship with World Vision. The next vision we have is to invest significant funding for the provision of fresh, healthy, and safe water so that children, adults, and communities can have access to healthy and safe water in their vicinity."

The visit has shown the team how to look back on their contributions and involvement so far and enhance their relationship with World Vision going forward. He says, "We learnt that our involvement is weak. The need is infinite. We don’t feel we have done all we can. We feel we have to do more. We have to go the extra mile; that is our commitment to continue to raise the bar and to continue more than we have done in the past, and that is what we are looking forward to doing inside."

Chosen is a new invitation to child sponsorship more empowering and engaging both for sponsors and children. Chosen is built around the universal need that God has placed deep within each of us. The desire we all feel to be seen and known by another. The longing we feel to be chosen. It empowers the kids we serve with real choices so they can become agents of real change. It fosters engagement between children and sponsors.

By Aklilu Kassaye, Field Communication Manager, World Vision Ethiopia