How to House the house-less

Zeru with Abene, Mulukan, and Teshoma in their new house.

First off I am not using the "homeless" word anymore. I will start to use "house-less"

One thing we have strived to do in this endeavor is get to know who we are serving, and what they really need- not what I think they need or you think they need. That is why for the first three months with these boys we didn't give them anything but let them borrow a soccer ball.

These boys of Club Anbesa are mostly house-less. (There are 5 now housed through donations- which by the way is about $25 per month for 2 to 3 boys-
if you are interested in giving in that way. Anyone donating in this way must commit at least a year if possible to keep from the funds running out and resulting in the boys losing their homes)

When our housing initiative began we told the boys about the plan. 3 boys to a rented room in a compound in the community. Each boy would contribute 50 bir per month toward the rent cost, and the rest would be taken care of. That means less than 2 bir per day.

Most of the boys realized this was absolutely do-able by them as they work odd jobs each day- some days getting 10 bir, others none. But 50 bir they all agreed was a manageable amount of money for rent.

There was, however, one boy who decided that day to leave Club Anbesa. He turned in his shoes, uniform, and continued to walk and talk with us as part of the team. I finally asked why and discovered he was not ready to live in a building.

I explained he was not required to live in a house! It was an option open for team members, if they wanted... He took his shoes and uniform back! Legessa is still on Club Anbesa!

Abene also was one of 6 boys at one time housed. He decided the street was more comfortable for him. He traded with Tariku who is now living in his place. Abene is still happily active in Club Anbesa and working hard every day.

Matwes - the smallest boy on the Club- was housed with two older boys in a room. After one or two weeks he moved out voluntarily. He was not ready for the pressures of having the community watching him live! Now after several months he is on a waiting list to try again.

Point of this is: A HOUSE is not necessarily a HOME. To many of these boys the street is their home, with or without a house.

HOW to house the house-less:

First, on their terms, not forced. If they do not want to live in a house, then they should not be forced to.

Second we have made a program to allow future sustainability. The boys are required to pay a small manageable rent, and after several months rent is increased. This is done on a case by case basis and along side our small business micro-loan program. As the boys are able to support themselves slowly more and more, their part of the cost is slowly increased while donations will be slowly weaned off.

At this point they will be able to financially care for themselves.

Third, community integration for future success, not segregation. Many programs pull the street community together into one facility- which makes them manageable, but does not help them integrate into society. We are renting individual rooms within the community, educating the home owners, and encouraging integration into their local society so in the future they will more likely succeed within society they live in, rather than keep them isolated.

We chose 2 to 3 boys per house because culturally this is acceptable, it is more financially manageable, and they are neither left to face life on their own, nor housed all together like a shelter.

Funds are starting to come in!

Thanks to GOD we have raised $200 toward small business micro loans for the boys! This is an amazing opportunity for them to increase their income!

Also we have raised $100 toward the new uniforms. We still need about $250 to get the full matching uniforms for our amazing CLUB ANBESA!

Thank you for your support! We are seeing real lives - not just helped, aided, or sustained- but CHANGED!

Meet Atot

Meet Atot. He has a great smile that would convince anyone to do anything for him. When he wants something he doesn't back down from wrying to get it.

This 13 year old boy has been living on the streets for about 3 years. His parents are still alive, residing in the rural areas far from the city. They are very poor. So poor Atot realized he would be better off on his own.

I asked him once why he left home, he told me he thought if he came to the city he could get a job and make money. I could tell this was first for his own survival, but also for his family's future perseverance.

Sometimes he tries to steal food from his peers, but that is expected among the boys.

When he talks about his family there is a look of longing. He misses his home, but he knows there is no hope in going back.

For now this boy of 13 survives off odd jobs like carrying bags for one or two bir (1/18 of a dollar) in order to eat. He sleeps on the ground outside and wears the same rags day by day. He usually goes around bare foot on the dirt and stone terrain- except when he stumbles upon an unclaimed pair (or single) sandal- often left because it is deemed useless.

This sweet boy has much potential. He hopes when he is old enough to take the classes necessary and get a Bajaj license to be a taxi driver. In the mean time he hopes to go to school to learn to read and write. (A bajaj is a 3 wheeled covered taxi)

As of now he is not in school. With your help, and the help of Club Anbesa he will get the chance to attend school this coming school year. He will get small business start up to increase his daily income, and be able to start in the housing program.

For now Atot is already improving his life by getting much needed encouragement and life skills by being part of the Club Anbesa. he practices several times a week and participates in soccer matches with the boys.

This is God's show

Recent photo since we left

When Club Anbesa started it was a mom (myself) and a 4 year old son.

We went to the streets of Menharia, Hawassa (Southern Ethiopia) with no clue, but a clear direction from God.

After some days we decided to buy a ball for the street boys to kick around. It went pretty well, but we honestly could not tell at first who were the street boys, and who were the boys who had families, homes, education.

This was why it was so important to start the way we did- just getting to know the people. Seeing things from their view, understanding the culture difference and not making assumptions based on what I thought I knew.

It took 3 months before I got uniforms for the kids or really understood what we were doing.

In those months though we did something which made all the difference. We really got to know the boys, who they were, what they hoped for, what they really needed opposed to what other people wanted to give them, and the best ways to make real lasting changes in their lives- more than just give them stuff for their immediate survival.

But this was the catch- I didn't really do anything. I showed up. (I should say we showed up; my son was everywhere I went.)

God moved. God brought the boys. God worked in their lives. God provided funds when we needed. And I have faith he will continue to do that.

Now that we are back in the states (Zeru turned 5 while we were there) it is just the beginning. We still are sending money for the rent for the boys, we are trying to get money for them to go to school, and today we are sending money for business start ups for some of them. We also need to get new uniforms for the boys.

Where will the money come from? (I don't have it)
Will the boys lose hope with us not there to love on them?
Will there continue to be progress?

Sometimes I worry, I get sad, I get scared. But then I remember that we did nothing to get the boys on their way- that was Jesus work. So I have to trust that whatever comes after today will also be God's responsibility- not mine.

This is God's show.

Update

This is an UPDATE

We are hoping to send the boys NEW uniforms "malaya" with their names and numbers printed on them. About half the boys are yet to get a uniform due to lack of funds during the first round of uniform purchasing.

We are also hoping to start in August to raise funds to send the boys to school!

Now Club Anbesa is operating in two groups, big and small boys. this is helping to establish more individualized support.

Yibekal is the man in charge in Ethiopia now, and has reported that the boys are indeed practicing and happy. They are eager also to get a new business started as we have received funds for small business start ups for the more responsible boys!

We hope by their good example, even the less mature boys will quickly follow suit in receiving this benefit of being on Club Anbesa.

Please continue to pray for the boys as the rainy season is upon them! Most of them are still sleeping outside.