And so it began. Lale and his wife got a rental house in Jinka, 140 miles from the tribe and Bali, the first rescued child, came into their home. At the age of 30 years old, Lale became the co-founder of OMO CHILD. He is the heart of the organization. Through OMO CHILD, he is working hard to make sure his generation of tribal members bring an end to Mingi forever. He works to educate the new generations and hopes to see countless saved lives. Educating others about Mingi and why it should be abolished is what drives him.
To ensure his dream could come true, Lale spends time in both Ethiopia and in the United States. While in the United States, he spent his time as a student at Hampshire College in Amherst, Massachusetts. (Lale gradutated in May of 2016). Lale has invested in his own life as well, and is married and has two young children. Now he works to save many more children through OMO CHILD.
OMO CHILD rescues and cares for Mingi children from the Omo Valley region. All of the children living at OMO CHILD would have been victims of infanticide if they were not rescued. Living at the OMO CHILD home in Jinka, Ethiopia is the only option for the children who have been rescued.
This is because OMO CHILD is not an adoption agency. Lale strongly believes that these children, from the Omo Valley tribes, should remain “home” in Ethiopia and be provided with a good life and education there. It is the hope of the organization that, just like Lale, the children housed with the program will become educated members of their own society. It is Lale’s hope that by doing so, it will ensure generations successfully transition from tribal Africa to the developed world.
In order to achieve this, the children live together in a safe, clean, home-like environment. Many times, rescued children are in need of costly medical attention and lengthy hospital stays when they first arrive. They are loved and cared for by devoted nannies called “mamas” and other caretakers, such as a nurse, cooks, and housekeepers.
The children are well fed, clothed, and all necessary medical care is provided by the program. Because of Lale’s dedication, OMO CHILD is also committed to providing the children with the best possible education. As mentioned before, this is so that they become future leaders and important contributors to their own communities.
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OMO CHILD