Park Hill Congregational United Church of Christ has been involved with Yezelalem Minch (YZM) since the program began in 2001. Yezelalem Minch Children and Community Development is an Ethiopian non-government organization that cares for vulnerable children through a comprehensive, community-based program. YZM is a program that operates with an entirely community-based approach, allowing children to be raised by family members in their own community. YZM’s mission is to see that all vulnerable children are cared for; becoming healthy, educated, emotionally stable, productive and valuable citizens to their country, and growing to serve their community. 

YZM provides vulnerable children with Educational Support, Health and Nutrition, Household Livelihood, and Psychosocial Care. In Education, YZM ensures that children go to school by providing school fees, uniforms, and school supplies, as well as opportunities for tutoring and peer mentoring. YZM also runs a preschool, and vocational training for older students. Last year, the school in Addis Ababa finally procured land to move their school when they could not renew their lease, and building is in process. In Health and Nutrition, all children receive food support, annual check-ups, and full coverage of medical care, as well as shoes, clothing, and hygiene supplies. Special medical help and supplemental food is provided for children who need it. In Household Livelihood, YZM also focuses on equipping families to become self-sustaining by providing organized skill training, guiding self-help groups, and equipping individuals and groups with small business seed funding. In Psychosocial Care, many of the children have experienced loss, trauma, and other extreme hardships. YZM helps address children’s non-physical needs through extra-curricular activities, moral education, recreation trips, and more.

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Helps Ministries is the umbrella organization in the U.S. that coordinates sending care from our church to YZM. Helps Ministries’ goal is to empower YZM to continue to help these children by providing child sponsorship, donations administration, fundraising campaign assistance, and promotional support. Park Hill Congregational Church members sponsor children and also send monetary donations to help fund the health, nutrition, and education programs. If you have questions, please contact Elizabeth Pexton (epexton@msn.com) who helps as a liaison for our church with Helps Ministries.