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We are blessed and privileged at Riverside to be able to sponsor many children around the world through the work of Compassion.
As well as individually sponsoring children, as a Church we support the Mekane Jesus Child Survival Programme based in Lem Lem, Ethiopia.

        SOME BRIEF FACTS

   * Ethiopia is the oldest independent country in Africa and one of the oldest in the world.
   * Herodotus, the Greek historian of the fifth century BC describes ancient Ethiopia in his writings.  
   * According to legend, Menelik I, the son of King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba, founded the Ethiopian Empire 950BC.
   * Missionaries from Egypt and Syria introduced Christianity in the fourth century.
   * Following the rise of Islam in the seventh century, Ethiopia was gradually cut off from European Christendom.

   * Compassion's work in Ethiopia began in 1993.
   * Currently, more than 80,200 children participate in more than 340 child development centers.
   * Compassion partners with churches and denominations to help them provide Ethiopian children with the 
     opportunity to rise above their circumstances and become all God has created them to be.

Compassion Assisted Child Development Program (CACDP)

This (EECMY-DASSC) Program is operational in ten Church Units. Its foci are to work with needy children and the marginalised community, to create a conducive environment to develop their spiritual, economic, social and physical skills. The program consists of the following three key components:

Educational Development:

Under this component children have the opportunity to pursue their education. The project provides the children with school uniforms, exercise books, educational materials, livelihood skill training, teaching aids, school fees and others.

Physical Development:

This component is designed to strengthen the physical development of the needy children which is one factor contributing to their self-confidence. Medical check-ups, medical treatment, HIV/AIDS and counselling support is carried out. Different kinds of training is given to children and families in family planning, balanced diet, patient care etc.

Social Development:

In order to improve the social interaction of the children, various events are organised. For example, training on social interaction, awareness on environmental protection and learning to behave according to the social norms of the society.

Child Development Sponsorship Program (CDSP)

It is designed to identify children between 3-9 and work with them until they reach the age of twenty two. Currently the Program works with 58 projects in partnership with Mekane Yesus Congregations.
Activities on education, health, social development and a wide-range of other activities are carried out by the projects.

Child Survival Program

This program focuses on children under the age of three. It is designed to help children survive, provide nutrition, medical assistance, partial education, social and other support for the mothers and their young children.

Currently four such projects are being implemented, i.e. in Debrezeit Lemlem, Nathreth, Wolkite and Holleta.