Charity launch Christmas gift cards for Ethiopian children

The purpose of the cards is to highlight the life-saving work done to help children in a hospital which has been supported by the charity for over a decade.

The gift cards tell the real- life stories of children, families and communities who are benefiting from the treatment and care they receive at St. Luke’s Hospital in Wolisso, Ethiopia.

The charity’s Christmas cards highlight, the hospital’s Therapeutic Feeding Unit where around 350 children each year receive life-saving treatment for severe acute malnutrition.

As a result of the support the hospital receives from Children in Crossfire, over 150 health education workers have been trained.

This has meant that badly needed medical assistance can be provided in remote villages in the Wolisso area.

Apart from education and training, Children in Crossfire-backed projects have also included the building of a deep water well at a cost of £50,000.

Richard Moore, Children in Crossfire’s Founder and Executive Director, said all this work would not be possible without the support the charity receives locally.

One child who features in the Christmas gift card appeal this year is Lomitu.

For Richard, Lomitu’s story stands out. “Two years ago, Lomitu was admitted to St Luke’s Hospital and was so severely malnourished, she was not expected to live.

“Thanks to the lifesaving medical support she received at the hospital, Lomitu survived and is now at home. According to her parents she is healthy, happy and full of life.”

The Christmas gift cards were launched at Veritas on Derry’s Shipquay Street, where they will be on sale. Commenting, Marie Browne from Veritas said: “We are delighted to be working with Children in Crossfire again this year. It is very uplifting for us to know that cards we sell in our shop will help vulnerable children in Ethiopia to recover from severe ill health and go on to fulfil their potential”.

Established in 1996, Children in Crossfire supports projects helping some of the most vulnerable children on the planet that suffer from the injustice of poverty. Today the charity works to change the lives of children in Tanzania and Ethiopia.

Christmas gift cards can be purchased in Veritas, or from Children in Crossfire either by phone on 028 7127 8949 or on the charity’s website at www.childrenincrossfire.or/shop.