Ethiopian Gemini Trust Gemini saves and supports twins born to needy families in Addis Ababa. Twins in Ethiopia - not always a double blessing The birth of twins in developing countries is not always a joyous event. In Ethiopia, one of the poorest countries in the world, with twice as many twin births as in Europe, it is all too often a forerunner of tragedy. In the slums of Addis Ababa, twins face a real struggle to survive. Many are born premature and have low birth weight. Malnourished mothers can't provide sufficient breast-milk for babies, and turn to bottle feeding, often with disasterous consequenses; bouts of diarrhoea and vomitting result in malnutrition and increased vulnerability to further illness. Often there is just not enough food. In this struggle for survival against all odds, death of babies is all too frequent. ne in three twin babies will die before their first birthday. The Ethiopian Gemini Trust was founded in 1983 by Dr Carmela Abate, an Anglo-American Paediatrician then working in Addis Ababa's main teaching hospital. After 20 years of service reaching some of the poorest families in the slums of Addis, Gemini directly helps over 1800 families, totalling 8,000 people. Many of these families live in squalid over-crowded shacks, often ten to a small room, with no access to water in their compounds. Over 40% of the families reached by gemini are women-headed households; unemployment is high. As if this is not enough of a challenge, HIV/AIDS is dramatically affecting Gemini families; parents are dying leaving households headed by children. How Gemini helps The Ethiopian Gemini Trust offers these families hope and a future. The Trust provides: Primary health care for the whole family, including lessons in better health and hygiene, supplementary food for breast feeding mothers and their babies, and child spacing. HIV/AIDS prevention, care and support, including home-based care. Help towards children's education, books, clothing and on-site day care facilities, with special promotion for girls education. An innovative youth programme based on using creative arts (dance, drama, music and art) and encouragement for better achievement in school. Credit for women to set up their own businesses. Job creation opportunities, with skills training and upgrading.