Blankets for Babies

I blogged a couple of weeks ago over on VVAI about babies from orphanages in northern Vietnam who are sick and dying from an acute pneumonia that results from a mysterious virus. At the time I said I hoped someone was doing something to help these babies. Unfortunately even though there are a few agencies working in these orphanages it appears they are doing very little to help. But now Ethica is stepping up, and they need our help.

(Cross-posted from VVAI)

Ethica, Inc. has received troubling reports of severe, cold weather in northern Vietnam that has taken a toll on orphanages in Hanoi, Bac Giang, Hay Tay, and Bac Ninh provinces. We understand 3 children have died in the past week and 10 more less than a year old have been hospitalized. In the past two months, 9 of 19 infected infants have died.

Government officials at the National Fund for Vietnamese Children are concerned that many more children will be vulnerable to a virulent form of rhinovirus that has in some cases, progressed to pneumonia. This fatal for institutionalized infants and children already vulnerable to illness. The officials have met and given Ethica’s representative in Hanoi permission to secure and deliver much needed blankets, heaters, warm clothing, and formula on March 7th and 8th. We estimate that $9,350 USD will be needed for this emergency relief fund which will assist 469 children under 16 years old and 152 babies from 1-7 months old.

We only have 3 DAYS TO FUNDRAISE.

Currently, Ethica’s involvement in Vietnam has been to evaluate irregularities in international adoption processes and advocate for ethical and transparent adoption policies and practices. As our mission is to assist all adoption community members, we are providing short term emergency care as we determine long term policy objectives.

Our hope is that in a month’s time, we will be able to transition the children’s needs to more permanent funders through a coalition of local and international NGOs.

You can make a difference in the lives of the children we serve by making a 501-C-3 tax deductible gift to Ethica, Inc. We cannot help these children without your contributions.

$30 donation will provide an infant with formula for one month.
$300 donation will buy 100 baby blankets.
$300 donation will buy 100 warm baby outfits.
$500 donation will buy 100 warm children’s outfits.
$600 donation will buy 100 children’s blankets.
We are currently awaiting estimates for heaters, medicines, and delivery costs.

To donate please visit this link and follow up with a note to info@ethicanet.org that your donation is to go towards the Blankets for Babies Fund.

Additional information on this effort with notes, updates, and photos of each orphanage will be posted at www.ethicanet.org and our blog http://ethica.ning.com/ . We are seeking graphic and web savvy volunteers to assist us in creating a blog button and page for this fund. Please contact Linh at lsong@ethicanet.org for more details. Thank you.

We are a caring community and I know we can pull together for the sake of these babies. Please make a contribution today and pass the word on to your family and friends… and those with blogs, let’s have a Blogging for Babies day – put something up on your blog about Blankets for Babies today!