October 1, 2008
MORE help on way for orphans

A Randolph-based nonprofit organization aids Ethiopian children
Wednesday, October 01, 2008
BY ROBERT E. WILLIAMS III
Star-Ledger Staff

Maureen Strenk saw a newspaper picture eight years ago of a Sparta man surrounded by African orphans, and instead of just despair she noticed something hopeful about the photo. "They were all climbing on top of him and looking happy someone was there," said Strenk, who lives in Randolph.

Those smiles touched her and prompted Strenk and her friends to form the Medhen Orphans and Relief Efforts, a nonprofit organization based in Randolph created to raise funds to help orphans in Ethiopia.

The nonprofit, known as MORE, helps fund the orphan program in the Medhen community of Addis Ababa, the nation's capital. The group held its second fundraiser Saturday at a board member's home. A total of 137 people attended and raised more than $37,000.

The money will help support the Medhen Social Center's orphans and vulnerable children program, which places children whose parents are deceased in foster homes in the community. The program monitors the development of 550 children at an average annual cost of $184 per child, Strenk said.

MORE raised $150,000 last year to help cover the operating expenses of the program, and aims to raise the same amount through a series of fundraisers this year.

The group's first donations started shortly after Strenk read the article about Jim Miller, a former Sparta resident who worked with the Medhen Social Center, which aided a leprosy colony in Addis Ababa. Children whose parents died of AIDS would also show up at the center for help, Strenk said.

Miller suggested to Sister Senkenesh Gabremariam, who ran the center, that she take care of those children as well. But she "did not have any funding for that, and Jim said he saw that as his sign," said Anthony Zecca, a member of MORE

Gabremariam, who worked with Mother Teresa before leaving her order to stay in Addis Ababa, formed the orphanage program with Miller's help.

Strenk told her friends about the program and decided to collect $5 a month among a group of 12 to send to the orphanage.

They formed a relationship with Miller through e-mail and saw him speak about his work in person three years ago at a forum discussing the impact of AIDS in Africa. "His whole feeling was you can't help everyone," Strenk said. "If you focus on a small group, you can make a change in their lives."

They later invited him to a small party in Randolph where he talked about the program." Everybody was encouraged and wanted to do more," she said.

This year, five of the women traveled to Africa for 10 days to see how the program works. They met some of the foster parents, many of whom did not have children of their own, and some of the children. They also saw the facilities of the social center.

Strenk said the visit energized the group to continue its fundraising efforts.
"We've seen these little faces and you can't forget them," she said. "We want to give them hope."

Robert. E. Williams III may be reached at rwilliams@starledger.com or (973) 539-7910.