Last October, my husband and I came home from a gut-wrenching, three month trip to Ethiopia. We had the privilege of living among some of the most gentle people I've ever met. The men, women, and children lead some of the hardest lives and struggle daily to make ends meet. Most the "homes" we visited were not what we'd even call a house. They were more like huts-- walls made of a straw, manure, and water combination. The roofs were either thatched or one made of a single sheet of metal. Most had only one bed, if any at all, and typically only one room, where they ate, slept, and hung out. This was the norm.
Work is scarce, and the pay is menial for even the most back-breaking jobs. HIV is rampant, among other diseases that might be prevented simply if they had access to clean water. The children sometimes only have one outfit that they wear each day. And one toy that they treasure to pieces. Yet through it all, they also have the biggest smiles. Every time we'd go walking through their neighborhood, they'd run up to you and grab your hand and walk with you. It didn't matter where you were going or how far, they'd follow you anywhere.
When we returned home the brainstorming began on how we could help more. That's when the idea of this shop began to take place. Even the name, Redesignation, is a play on words. I want to use this store as a vessel to fund families, like the ones we met in Ethiopia. I'm starting out small by sponsoring this one child, but as this business grows, so, too, will the opportunities to take action and help others who are in desperate need.
The organization we went through is called
Blessing the Children. Without going too much in depth, the most important thing about this group is that 100% of my donation will go straight to the child. It'll help "Hulu" with food, his education, and any medical bills, and in turn that takes the burden off his family, who happens to be his 16 yr. sister. Here's a picture of him, and his bio.
Name Huluyalfal Bisenebit
Boy Birthdate: 10/21/2005 Age: 5
Huluyalfal and his 16 year old sister lost both of their parents to an unknown illness and it has
been just the two of them ever since. They currently live in a one room house, which doubles as
a café. They share a burlap sack behind the serving counter. Huluyalfal's sister does the best she
can for him, while running the café during the day and attending classes at night school.
Huluyalfal has been unable to attend school himself because of financial restraints. He is a very
shy, reserved boy and with the hard life he has had so far, it's not hard to see why. Huluyalfal
owns only two shirts and two pairs of pants, all of which are too small for him. Although
Huluyalfal doesn’t talk very much, we were able to find out that his favorite color is red and he
occasionally enjoys playing football with the neighborhood boys.
