"We live surrounded by a sea of poverty. Nevertheless, this sea can decrease in size. Our work is only a drop in a bucket, but this drop is necessary." Mother Theresa
CHIROTA
Elderly Neighbors Goodwill Project in Ethiopia, Inc. (hereinafter CHIROTA
Project) is a charitable non-profit organization founded in 2010 by concerned
individual. Its general vision is to give hope and support to the
distressed and underprivileged elderly people and their immediate family
members.
Mission
Statement
CHIROTA
Project's mission is to improve the health and quality of life of homeless,
sick, disabled, lonely poor elderly people in Gulele, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; to
make sure that they get help for their basic needs, develop positive
self-esteem and live with dignity, hopefulness in a safe and supportive
environment.
Target
Groups
·
Elderly homeless persons who are on the street corners begging;
·
Elderly poor persons who have no family;
·
Elderly persons who are dependent on their struggling family
members or their neighbors;
·
Vulnerable elderly persons who are in charge of small grandchildren
due to death of parents;
·
The vulnerable frail persons who are sick or disabled.
Primary Focus
The
CHIROTA Project primary focus is on elderly women who are disabled, frail,
sick, lonely, and poor, increasingly marginalized, rendered homeless or forced
to beg in the streets or dependent on their struggling family members or
neighbors.
Target Area
CHIROTA
Project first and second phases targeted only two neighborhoods in Gulele, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The third and fourth phases are targeting four neighborhoods in Gulele. Depending on the availability of resources, it will
expand its support services to all areas of Gulele including other towns and
cities where the elderly people need help.
Situation and Justification
CHIROTA
Project believes that the elderly women have played an active role in our
society participating in farming, raising children, accomplishing day-to-day
domestic affairs and playing a vital role in the economic development of our
country. Unfortunately, many of these reward-deserving women of our society are
homeless, hungry, sick and in despair during their final years. It is also
realized that some of the elderly women are willing to work despite their poor
health conditions and old age. However, when they travel from place to place to
engage in income generating activities, most of the time they become victims of
tragic circumstances. As a result, they stay in their neighborhood in despair.
It
is self-evident that the humanitarian organizations, generous people of Ethiopia
and the world at large are trying to address the need of orphans, poor
children, young, old men and women. However, assessing various segments such
as: local markets, low-income neighborhoods, talking to people at the
grassroots level, getting news from media and newspapers, attending Church
services and social events, it was realized that the daunting number of
underprivileged people far outweighs the ability of individuals to help all.
Therefore, the Founder developed keen interest to work and contribute towards
the improvement of the situation. Accordingly, CHIROTA Elderly Neighbors Goodwill
Project Inc is established.
This
website is created (1) to convey the CHIROTA Project's main purposes (2) to
invite visitors to participate in fundraising by (a) sending their donations
(b) purchasing a cookbook which is published to generate income for this
life-saving endeavor.
We
are grateful that you are visiting our website. Your ideas and assistance are
appreciated and we look forward to hearing from you soon.
"Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today. Let us begin." Mother Theresa