Ever since Michael Jackson (lose etymological association, we suspect, to Qulibiew Mike) declared that we are the world and children, everybody's doing it! SELEDA is in absolute awe, fearful admiration of people who can be popular and afford to help the underprivileged, let alone be popular for helping the underprivileged. Yep, we claim neither characteristic, and admittedly, the last time we heard the word "voluntary" and "street" in the same sentence was when Upper Management announced the dismissal of the Swedish masseuse to the street after her "voluntary" acceptance of a "sabbatical". Ehhh… But hopefully in the dismal course of our Hobbesian lives, we'll stumble upon the realization that the love we give away is the only love we keep.

Bear with us. We're working on it.

Meanwhile, SELEDA is fanning the masterminds behind the Hohete Tesfa for Ethiopia's Street Children Foundation. Artist and performer, Chachi, who has used her talents in countless benefit concerts, organized her efforts in the establishment of this NGO, volunteer-based vessel for street children. Somebody's got to look out for those too young to look out for themselves. Our children, abandoned children, parentless children should not be reduced street children - bearing the burden of survival alone, amidst adverse, unsheltered conditions where they'll be pulled into crime and prostitution, swallowed by malnutrition, sickness or starvation.

Indeed, the Hohete Tesfa for Ethiopia's Street Children Foundation reminds us that charity begins at home, and with our children.

SELEDA is proud to present this project. We strongly urge our readers to support the foundation's vision. Thank you for boldly raising awareness for a problem that often falls through the cracks on our plate of priorities.

To learn more about this foundation, check out their website.

Hohete Tesfa for Ethiopia's Street Children Foundation can also be directly contacted at tesfaa@hotmail.com or alternatively at:

Hohete Tesfa for Ethiopia's Street Children Foundation
PO BOX 467311
Atlanta, GA 31146

Humbly genuflecting in the general direction of Atlanta.