LIBERIAN ORPHANS NEED HELP
The Liberian orphan children living in the "AFAA House"; a Christian orphanage, in the outskirts of Monrovia, Liberia, NEED help. Some of the children, under the care of Americans for African Adoptions, Inc. (AFAA), are healthy and some are special needs, because Cerebral Palsy is not uncommon in Liberia. The "African Angels" are one to 12 years of age.
AFAA was developed because of an August 11, 1985,18 second, "60 Minutes" "interview" between Diane Sawyer and this starving boy in the middle of the Sahara Desert in Mali, West Africa.
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The boy volunteered on camera that he was "hungry all the time", he "hadn't eaten in four days" and "had seen many childrens die every day". An American woman watching Diane Sawyer and the boy decided to help the child, and then other African orphans, establishing the licensed, non-profit, international aid and adoption agency for African orphans - "Americans for African Adoptions, Inc." in 1986.
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AFAA was able to establish the Liberian AFAA House in 1992, during one of Liberia's civil wars, when many children were losing their parents to war atrocities.
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Our AFAA children pray every day, with our foster mothers, for a new family. Since January 2009 healthy, Liberian children have not been able to be adopted while the Government of Liberia rewrites their adoption regulations. The children pray the regulations will soon be updated and they can be adopted . . . so their bed can be used for another child needing help. We've had reduced funding as donations and children's sponsorships have substantially decreased as our economy struggles and prospective adopting families have given up waiting.
The boy Diane Sawyer was interviewing was an orthopedic medical mess. When he came to America he was 5'4" and weighed 65 pounds. He had no education, could not count to 10, did not know ABC's, yet he could speak six languages. Today the boy has had multiple surgeries to rebuild his body, is a healthy, well educated, employed, husband and father.
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The orphans of Liberia need help so they too can become well eduated, receive needed medical care and hopefully a new family.
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This little African Angel died in a Liberian hospital at 5am, Wednesday, September 4, 2013, of Malaria. On the way to pick up her body for burial the AFAA car broke down. PLEASE, help Liberian orphans in honor of RUTH. Thank you.
OUR VISION IS TO CONTINUE SUPPORTING LIBERIAN ORPHANS
AFAA was established because one woman wanted to help one child and when he started talking about his orphan friends in the Sahara, the boy's new American mother knew she had to help other orphan children like her new African son.
OUR CAMPAIGN GOAL IS 6 MONTHS OF ORPHANAGE EXPENSES
We need to raise $25,000 to support our Liberian AFAA House for six months. Food, diapers (lots of diapers), security, utilities, medical care, clothing/shoes, teacher's salaries and supplies, staff salaries, fuel for our donated car, mosquito repellent, mosquito nets and all that goes along with 15 staff, caring for 18 children, in a developing country, is needed. With funding help AFAA can care for additional children as they are referred to the AFAA House by the Government of Liberia.
100% OF DONATIONS ARE USED TO SUPPORT THE CHILDREN
Without help we are worried that children in our care may have to be returned to the Liberian government who have no place to put them except in poor, rundown hospitals, to help care for each other, or in even poorer orphanages. Our intial plans and capital kept us going until healthy children adoptions were put on hold in January 2009. Now we are struggling to continue helping the children.
Since 1986 AFAA has cared for 705 African Orphans, secured donated surgeries for some and have placed children for adoption in North America, all born in Liberia, Mali and Sierra Leone, West Africa, Ethiopia, Uganda and Somalia, East Africa and Lesotho, Southern Africa.
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Orphanage operational costs range from $3,580 to $4,630 monthly if none of the children or staff becomes seriously ill with Malaria, no one has to be hospitalized, the car doesn't breakdown, etc., . . . $25,000 will support the children and the orphanage for six months. Orphanage rent is 0 via a donation of the home
100% OF FUNDS RECEIVED WILL BE USED FOR OUR ORPHANAGE.
If everyone in the world would reach out to just one other person, with a blanket, a dollar, a meal, a smile, like we are asking of you . . . how terrific the world would be!
PLEASE SHARE OUR CAMPAIGN
The children NEED your support. Please help us spread the word about this important campaign. Please ask your friends, family, church, scout group, college buddies, employers and co-workers about these beautiful children needing help and ask them to spread the word to their contacts.
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HOW YOU CAN HELP
* PLEASE make a donation - AFAA is a IRS registered charity, a 501(c)(3).
* Discuss with your employer matching donations.
* Share our story with your church, employer, scout group, employer, co-workers, student buddies, etc. about helping to sponsor the AFAA House Orphanage.
* Share the tools at the bottom of this page and forward to friends.
* Share and shout this information with everyone you know through Indiegogo tools, Facebook, Twitter, your church, employer, child's school newsletters and every other place you can think of.
* Ask your family and friends to make a donation.
* Follow us on twitter @African Angels and tweet our stories and success.
* Contact AFAA at amfaa@aol.com about setting up a $40 monthly sponsorship for one of these beautiful children.
* Volunteer to help the children by being an experienced grant writer.
* Help the children because of smiling little Ruth who is now God's Angel :(
* If you would like to talk please e-mail or call Cheryl - amfaa@aol.com or 317-271-4567 EST.
Peace, good food & clean water,
Cheryl Carter-Shotts
Americans for African Adoptions, Inc.
Founder/Managing Director of Americans for African Adoptions, Inc.,
Cheryl Carter-Shotts in Africa
2006 Congressional Angel in Adoption Award, nominated by Senator Richard Lugar
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