Visiting AHOPE

AHOPE was the first orphanage I knew about which cared for children with HIV. This was back when they would not integrate kids with HIV and kids who do not have HIV. Many places still will not do this. But some have come around. I was able to visit AHOPE when I traveled to bring Michael and Yabsera home. You can read about that here. I was excited to meet the nurse and talk about adherence and the medications they use, We talked shop so to speak and it was really nice. AHOPE has gone through as many changes as many of the other orphan related and adoption related program in the last 5 years but the biggest change is that families can adopt kids with HIV now with much greater ease and so there are actually families on wait lists for young children with HIV. Anyone who knows me well knows I don't like to sugar coat things and AHOPE has also has many struggles and challenges over the last 5 years. I hope though, like with any challenges we face, that we can learn and grow from them to create a better home for the children with HIV while waiting for families to adopt them. AHOPE has a supply list which I will post. We are doing our Band Aid Drive to bring band aids to AHOPE! I love this photo of the cook making piles and piles of Injera- the round spongy flat bread eaten in Ethiopia.

AHOPE Ethiopia
Supplies Update
For the month of February and March 2011

Medical Supplies
Gloves (Surgical and Disposable)
Hand sanitizer
Liquid Hand Soap
Multivitamins (gummy type)
Tablet cutter
Alcohol swab
Adhesive plaster
Hydrocortisone 1% cream
Antibiotic cream
Antifungal cream
Augumentin Syrups (156mg/5ml and 312mg/5ml)
Augumentin tablets (375mg)
Griseofluvin tablets (125 &250mg)
Stool Specimen Collector
Complete nurses gown

Nutritious and Sweets
Milks (infant formulas)
Candies, chocolates, lollipops
Cookies

Hygiene and skin care Supplies
Tooth past
Baby body wash
Diaper (Large Size)
Wipes
Diaper underwear
Aveno lotion
Shampoo & Conditioner
Liquid Soap
Hair bands
Towel (medium size)

Educational Supplies
Drawing/writing board, drawing pad
Stickers
Paint
Markers (permanent and removable)
Story books
Hard construction Paper
Pen (Blue & Red)
Puzzle
Dot pencil
Scissors
School glue

Clothes and Shoes
Trousers, pants, skirts, Dresses for older children (7-15 girls and boys)
Jackets, Sweaters, T-shirt, tops, blouses for older children (5-15 girls and boys)
Shoes for children size 6 above (10 years and above)
Slippers (crocks)
Shoes (7-15 girls and boys)
Shorts (7-15 girls and boys)
Pajamas for children (5-15)
Socks 7-15 (girls and boys)
Underwear 3-5 (girls and boys)
Swimming wears 4-15 (girls and boys)

Recreational and Psychosocial Supplies
Toys, Puppets
Cars big and small (with remote controls)
Video games
Toddlers/kids, Tins, Children movies, National geographies (VCD/DVD/VHS)
Diaries
Bubbles
Balloons
Puzzles
Scotch tape (transparent)
Paper Masking tapes (Big)

Sports
Basket ball
Foot ball
Magnetic darts for older children /teens

Others
Watch for children 7-15 (girls and boys)
Flash disks
Empty CD-R and DVD-R
Re writable CD

We brought them a bunch of little cars when we went last time!