Hello!

My name is Eddie Forster, and on Saturday, August 30th, I’ll be taking a leap of faith —literally, by doing a parachute jump with my sister Liz McNamara and nephew James McCrohan. We’re not just chasing adrenaline; we’re raising funds for a cause that means the world to us, The Kildane Mehret Children’s Home in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

This is a cause that is very close to our hearts.

Established by the Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady in 1933, Kildane Mehret is believed to be the first childrens home of its kind in Ethiopia. Since 1996, it has been operated by the Franciscan Sisters of the Heart of Jesus, a Maltese order. They took over following the death of Ethiopian religious Sister Tessemma, who had heroically run the home on her own until she passed away at the age of 95.

The current director, Sister Lutgarda Camilari, moved from Malta to Ethiopia in 1969 to work at the Kildane Mehret Casual School. She continues to lead the home with compassion and dedication.

Today, the home provides care, education, and support to around 160 children, from infancy up to 18 years of age. These children are orphaned, abandoned, or living with disabilities, and are placed in the home through Ethiopia’s Ministry of Women, Children, and Youth Affairs.

In the past, children were often brought directly to the sisters by police or local community members, but changes to federal child protection laws about 10 years ago formalized the intake system.

Adoptions have declined significantly since the Ethiopian government banned foreign adoptions in January 2018. In response, the sisters introduced an international sponsorship program to help support the children's needs. Although the home is largely self-supporting, it relies on external donations to continue providing high-quality care, education, and opportunities — including access to third-level education for many of its graduates.

Why Were Jumping

Kildane Mehret Children's Home is far more than a shelter. It's a place of hope, growth, and future possibilities for some of Ethiopia’s most vulnerable children. We’re jumping to help ensure that this vital work can continue.

Any donation, no matter how small, would mean the world to us — and even more to

the children.

Thank you so much for your generosity and support.

With heartfelt thanks,

Eddie Forster, Liz McNamara & James McCrohan