Chad-Et
Every day, children arrive in Addis Ababa in search of a better life. Without money or the means for shelter, many of these children find themselves condemned to life on the dangerous streets of an impoverished city. They are vulnerable to abuse and exploitation. Children Aid Ethiopia (Chad-Et) wants to stop this.
They have two main aims – to protect and rehabilitate children exposed to sexual exploitation and to prevent the transmission of HIV/AIDs.
Chad-Et is based in the largest market area of Addis Ababa, also home to the city's central bus terminus. As such, it is often an arrival point for many children coming to the city.
Child prostitution is rife in this area. Some are forced into it by those they meet in the city. Others, especially those with little education and from poor families, turn to it themselves as they simply feel there is no other option open to them.
Chad-Et offers a safe house for these children and is dedicated to preventing them going back to a life of prostitution. They have a library in which the children can study and develop skills for other work and they actively help them to find alternative employment or schooling. They also employ some individuals to act as peer educators and teach those who visit the centre about the dangers of prostitution.
Legal Advocacy
Chad-Et want to make lasting change and ensure that children in the future are protected from exploitation. To this end, they also campaign on legal issues relating to the rights of children and they provide representation where needed to any child wishing to press charges over any abuse they have suffered.
Theatre for Change
The threat of HIV/AIDs transmission is very real, especially for those involved in prostitution. Chad-Et aims to fight this through education and have discovered an innovative way of doing so.
Twice a week, a theatre group made up of children from Chad-Et perform a blend of traditional song, dance and acting in the streets of Addis Ababa. The stories focus on important issues, like the rights of women and children and the dangers of HIV/AIDs. In a country where many are illiterate and social issues are sometimes taboo, this has proved to be a very effective way of increasing awareness.