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Worldwide Orphans Foundation Receives $80,000 Grant from Keep A Child Alive to Provide HIV Treatments in Ethiopia

Worldwide Orphans Foundation Receives $80,000 Grant from Keep A Child Alive to Provide HIV Treatments in Ethiopia

Published 03-09-06

Submitted by Worldwide Orphans Foundation

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 9, 2006--Worldwide Orphans Foundation (WWO) has received a grant of $80,000 from Keep A Child Alive (KACA). The money is earmarked for WWO's medical programs that provide antiretroviral (ARV) therapy to Ethiopian children who are HIV positive.

The mission of Worldwide Orphans Foundation is to identify the immediate and long-term medical, developmental, social and emotional needs of children living in orphanages and to provide direct services to improve their quality of life.

"Thanks to Keep A Child Alive, we will kick-start our ambitious plans in the area of providing antiretroviral therapies in Ethiopia," said Dr. Jane Aronson, WWO's founder and executive medical director. "In fact, the support from KACA will enable WWO to provide not just medical care, but psychological and social support to all of these children as well."

WWO is the only freestanding outpatient clinic run by an NGO in Addis Ababa that manages HIV-infected children and has received approval to treat orphans with HIV/AIDS.

WWO's goal for 2006 is to expand its orphanage-based HIV treatment and care program in order to provide community-based HIV treatment and care services to the entire Addis Ababa community.

To meet this goal, WWO has partnered with African Services Committee (ASC) and its Co-Executive Directors, Kim Nichols and Asfaha Hadera. ASC operates an HIV testing program centered in Addis Ababa with an 800 kilometer service area that includes many large cities in Ethiopia. Already in Addis Ababa, ASC has tested 125 HIV-positive children living in the community and identified 10 who are HIV-positive and now under the care of WWO. Another 26 children have been diagnosed as HIV-positive in a children's home run by Haregewoin Teferra in the Addis Ababa community. Additionally, HIV-positive children reside in AHOPE orphanage, where WWO estimates that the number of children will grow to 150 by June 2006.

WWO's clinic, Barlow House, opened on November 1, 2005. A total of 100 HIV-positive children are under WWO's care already, including 64 at the AHOPE orphanage, 26 at Haregewoin Teferra's compound and 10 children identified by the ASC. All tolled, there have been 149 first-time and follow-up patient visits to Barlow House in just two short months.

"We are taking important steps to reduce the devastating impact of HIV/AIDS in Ethiopia," said Dr. Aronson. She said WWO recently purchased a van in order to transport children to Barlow house from the orphanages, and also to and from the hospital.

Keep A Child Alive (KACA) is a unique campaign that offers the opportunity to provide life-saving AIDS medicines directly to children and families with HIV/AIDS in Africa and other impoverished countries. Contributions go directly to children and families in desperate need of AIDS medicines. KACA provides regular updates on its treatment sites and the kids and parents receiving ARV treatment and support. Most of all, donors receive the satisfaction of knowing that they are making a real difference in the lives of children and families who have nowhere else to turn, and helping them live longer, happier lives.

The mission of Worldwide Orphans Foundation is to identify the immediate and long-term medical, developmental, social and emotional needs of children living in orphanages and to provide direct services to improve their quality of life. Founded in 1997 by renowned adoption medicine specialist, Dr. Jane Aronson, WWO has established humanitarian programs in Ethiopia, Viet Nam, Bulgaria, Serbia/Montenegro, Azerbaijan, and China. Two of its major programs are HIV/AIDS treatment programs for orphans in Vietnam and Ethiopia.

For more information, please visit www.wwo.org.

Copyright Business Wire 2006

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