SELAMTA FAMILY PROJECT

THE NEED FOR SELAMTA'S PROGRAMS IS SIGNIFICANT. POVERTY, BROKENNESS, AND A LACK OF DOMESTIC ADOPTION IN ETHIOPIA CREATE AN URGENT NEED FOR ALTERNATIVES TO INSTITUTIONS OR LIFE ON THE STREETS. CHILDREN OFTEN COME TO SELAMTA FROM GOVERNMENT ORPHANAGES AND INSTITUTIONS, WHERE THEY MAY BE SEPARATED FROM SIBLINGS AND LEFT TO FEND FOR THEMSELVES. OUR FOREVER FAMILIES PROVIDE A PERMANENT SOLUTION, RECREATING AND EMPOWERING FAMILIES SO THESE CHILDREN CAN THRIVE. SELAMTA IS TRANSFORMING LIVES THROUGH OUR CORE COMPETENCIES:WRAPAROUND CARE: OUR PROFESSIONAL TEAM FOCUSES ON EDUCATION, HEALTH AND WELLNESS, PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT, AND SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT, PROVIDING THE STRUCTURE AND SUPPORT NECESSARY FOR EACH INDIVIDUAL AND FAMILY TO GROW AND ADDRESS THEIR NEEDS.COMMUNITY INTEGRATION: WE LEVERAGE THE SYSTEMS AND RESOURCES OF THE LOCAL COMMUNITY, INCLUDING SCHOOLS, CHURCHES, COMMUNITY PROGRAMS, AND MEDICAL RESOURCES, TO ENSURE OUR FAMILIES' NEEDS ARE MET. WHEN LOCAL RESOURCES ARE UNAVAILABLE, WE EXTEND BEYOND GEOGRAPHICAL BOUNDARIES TO SECURE WHAT'S NEEDED.PERMANENCY: PLACEMENT WITH A FOREVER FAMILY IS PERMANENT. EVEN AFTER A CHILD GROWS UP AND ESTABLISHES THEMSELVES, THEY ALWAYS HAVE A SUPPORT NETWORK FROM THEIR FAMILY AND SELAMTA'S PROFESSIONAL TEAM.WHILE A CULTURE OF ADOPTION IS BEING NURTURED IN ETHIOPIA, SELAMTA'S FOREVER FAMILIES STAND IN THE GAP FOR CHILDREN WHO NEED TO KNOW THE LOVE OF A FAMILY TODAY. SELAMTA FAMILY PROJECT CONTINUED TO PROVIDE INDIVIDUALIZED AND INTENTIONAL HOLISTIC CARE TO EACH CHILD AND FAMILY WE SERVE, FOCUSING ON EDUCATION, HEALTH, AND SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT. OUR EDUCATION TEAM DILIGENTLY WORKED TO DETERMINE THE BEST SCHOOL PLACEMENTS FOR EACH CHILD, ENSURING THEIR INDIVIDUAL NEEDS WERE MET, ALLOWING THEM TO THRIVE ACADEMICALLY. WE SUCCESSFULLY LAUNCHED 17 YOUNG ADULTS INTO INDEPENDENCE AND CONTRIBUTED TO POLICY CHANGES BY SERVING ON A SELECTIVE ADVISORY BOARD FOR A GOVERNMENT-RUN PROGRAM SUPPORTING YOUNG ADULTS TRANSITIONING OUT OF CARE. ADDITIONALLY, OUR TEAM PLAYED A PIVOTAL ROLE IN PLANNING, HOSTING, AND LEADING THE FIRST-EVER TRUST-BASED RELATIONAL INTERVENTION (TBRI) TRAINING ON THE AFRICAN CONTINENT, WITH FIVE PSYCHOSOCIAL TEAM MEMBERS BECOMING CERTIFIED TBRI PRACTITIONERS. OUR HEALTH TEAM REMAINED COMMITTED TO TREATING ACUTE AND CHRONIC CONDITIONS WHILE SECURING THE BEST CARE AND RESOURCES FOR CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES. SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT WAS ALSO A PRIORITY, PROVIDING WEEKLY BIBLE STUDIES, SMALL GROUP FAITH DEVELOPMENT SESSIONS, AND INTENTIONAL PRAYER GATHERINGS, WHICH WERE CRUCIAL FOR OUR FAMILIES DURING TIMES OF CIVIL UNREST AND GLOBAL INFLATION. THROUGH THESE EFFORTS, SELAMTA HAS STRENGTHENED OUR FAMILIES, BRINGING HOPE AND STABILITY TO THEIR LIVES.SELAMTA'S COMMUNITY CENTER IS IN THE HEART OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. IT SERVES OUR FAMILIES, HOUSES OUR PROFESSIONAL TEAM, AND PROVIDES RESOURCES FOR THE COMMUNITY. WITH A COMPUTER LAB, LENDING LIBRARY, COUNSELING ROOM, AND FIRST AID CLINIC, SELAMTA FAMILIES KNOW WHERE TO GO AND WHOM TO CALL FOR WHATEVER THEY NEED. RECOGNIZING THE TRANSFORMATIONAL IMPACT OUR COMMUNITY CENTER'S WRAPAROUND CARE PROVIDES IN BUILDING A STRONG FOUNDATION FOR FAMILIES, OUR TEAM HAS BEGUN DEVELOPING A STRATEGY FOR A NEW COMMUNITY CENTER. THIS NEW CENTER AIMS TO SUPPORT MORE VULNERABLE FAMILIES IN OTHER PARTS OF ADDIS ABABA. EMPOWERING AND EQUIPPING OUR FAMILIES IS ALWAYS OUR FIRST PRIORITY. EVERY FAMILY NEEDS A NETWORK OF RELIABLE SUPPORT.