BOB'S ETHIOPIAN MISSION

CHILDREN AND THEIR MOTHERS BEHIND PRISON WALLS

Children of prisoners are the hidden victims of crime in Ethiopia. When there is no one on the "outside" to care for them, and when society and government are not able to supply for their needs, the little ones end up serving time behind prison walls with their mother or father. Therefore, due emphasis must be given to ensure the rights of the child. Mission supporters and workers are in the process of giving the children hope by counselling, building morale, providing basic needs, social interaction and non-formal education.
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The attention given to women in prison is very limited. They are disadvantaged mainly in terms of infrastructure facilities such as dormitories, clinics and toilets. They also lack skill training.
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Justice For All and Prison Fellowship Ethiopia are addressing the attitudes of society which often denies women access to basic facilities, resources and training.
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The program offers appropriate training for justice system officials to increase the capacity of justice service delivery. On site mobile courts have also been created to reduce the backlog of cases and render justice in a speedy manner.

A country in Eastern Africa, west of Somalia.
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Population: 76,511,887
Population below poverty line: 38.7%
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Because Ethiopia has over 70 different ethnic groups, marriage and family practices vary widely. In general, families are patriarchal, with the male as the head and main decision maker. Although cities like Addis Ababa have high-rise buildings, most Ethiopians live in tradition houses. In rural areas, these are based on the tukul, a windowless, circular hut with a conical roof supported by a central pole.
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Ethiopians have a strong oral culture which includes thousands of proverbs and stories that teach morality, history and culture. Dancing is very important to most Ethiopians, the most common form being "iskista" where dancers move their shoulders while keeping their lower bodies motionless.
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Ethiopians do not use cutlery, preferring to eat with their right hands. The national dish is "wot", a spicey stew with many varieties -- meat, fish, vegetables - chicken and beef being the most common base. Pork is forbidden for Ethiopian Christians, Muslims and Jews.
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An estimated 4.8 million orphans live in Ethiopia.
-- 2 million children have been orphaned by AIDS
-- 2.8 million children have been orphaned due to other diseases and lack of water and food
-- only 31% of children are enrolled/attend primary schools.

BOB'S ETHIOPIAN MISSION

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

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CHILDREN AND THEIR MOTHERS BEHIND PRISON WALLS