Selamta Family Project

The Selamta Family Project is an all-volunteer, 501(c)(3) non-profit organization providing secure homes, medical intervention and education opportunities to orphaned and abandoned children. It strives to recreate a family unit, so important to Ethiopian Culture that these Children have previously not experienced. Check out the site at http://www.selamtafamilyproject.org


"Selamta, which is funded by the Human Capital Foundation, seeks to help Ethiopian orphans, especially those who have lost their parents to the AIDS pandemic. Children receive clothing, food, medical attention and school tuition at the Selamta Children’s Center before joining one of eleven families, each of which hosts about eight children brought together by the organization." Their Mama's are also HIV/AID's survivors, suffer from PTSD, or were shunned from their place of origin. They do a wonderful job of creating a seamless family built upon dance, joy, and laughter.[1]

Key partners

Contributions from the Arts

Into Abyssinia

A documentary "set around the Human Capital Foundation's first humanitarian visit to Ethiopia and the inception of the Selamta project, focuses on four volunteers each with their own unique story as they travel in to the heart of the AIDS orphan crisis in Ethiopia."[2] This film later became an Official Selection for the 2009 Atlanta Film Festival under the African/African American, Georgia Films, Human Rights, and World Showcase categories.[3]

An Unlikely Family

A book written by two Dartmouth students and published by "Anemone Publishing Co. is a collection of first-person stories about the lives of various kids in Selamta.[4] "The book features quotations from interviews with children and ambassadors involved with the project."[1] "The project aims not only at delivering these children's message to readers but also to sustain the children's lives. The proceeds from each book purchased will feed a child in Ethiopia for a month."[1]

Selamta Comfort Doll Project

"Mia Brown, a Neighbor to Neighbor AmeriCorps member at Champlain Valley Agency on Aging (CVAA), designed the Selamta Comfort Doll Project after spending over six months at the Selamta Children’s Home in Ethiopia."[5] Elders from CVAA "created dolls that were dark-skinned to look like the children." These dolls were sent "to children in Ethiopia that have lost their parents most likely due to AIDS and are now part of the Selamta Children’s Home Project."[5] "Over 225 dolls were created."[5]

Children of Selamta

A 2009 Student Project by Hampshire College Student Jessica Marie Chapman. "For two months Chapman lived at an orphanage in Addis Ababba run by the Selamta Family Project."[6] "Nearly every day of her visit included an art class" with the children. Upon her return "she had 21 linoleum blocks, with which she created prints for"[6] an exhibition "of artwork created by a group of those orphans during her stay in the country."[6] The exhibit made appearances at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Dartmouth College, Latham Memorial Library, and Hampshire College with the intent that "wherever the exhibit goes, it will bring donations to Selamta."[6]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Krug, Jessica (December 1, 2008). "Book Review: Students collaborate to support, tell stories of Ethiopian AIDS orphans". TheDarmouth.com.
  2. ↑ "Chautauqua Films Presents: Into Abyssinia in Lebanon, NH at Lebanon Opera House- Eventful". Eventful.com. November 25, 2008.
  3. ↑ "Atlanta Film Festival 2009: Into Abyssinia". atlanta.bside.com/. August 18, 2009.
  4. ↑ Gatlin, Latarsha (December 15, 2008). "Dartmouth students share the story of orphaned Ethiopians in a new book". Darthmouth.edu.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 "Selamta Comfort Doll Project -CVAA". CVAA.org. August 18, 2009.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 "Children of Selamta". Hampshire.edu. August 18, 2009.

External links

Key Partners