Ethiopia was in the grip of a serious famine when Don Arnaldo Baga, with a group of doctors and nurses left Parma for Addis Ababa. The volunteers worked to improve sanitation facilities and provide medical care in the Salesian missions. Once back in Italy, Don Baga set up the “Long Distance Adoption” project.

The project continued to develop until in 2004 a non-profit organisation, Caritas Children, was set up. Caritas Children replaced the local Caritas parish organisation and took up the running of the whole project.