Mercy Center

When school lets out, many Ethiopian teenagers are left unsupervised and are easy prey for the sex and drug trades. At the Mercy Center in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, some two dozen teens – many of whom are orphans or come from single parent homes – attend after-school programs that provide tutoring, recreation, and life skill training. The project, financed by African Childrens Haven, helps students such as Mekedes Feyisa who recently completed high school and is now studying civil engineering. For kids who don’t go on to college or university, the Center provides counseling and job training. They also receive information on reproductive health and HIV/AIDS, information that helps keep them safe.