Are you familiar with the tiny, gluten-free and super nutritious grain called Teff?  A relatively new introduction to U.S. grocery stores, teff is believed to have been cultivated in Ethiopia and Eritrea before 1000 BC! The word teff originates from the Amharic word “teffa” which translates as “lost”, due to its very tiny size. Three thousand grains weigh just one gram (1/28 of 1 ounce!), or 150 teff grains equal 1 kernel of wheat!

With a desire and vision to share his farming knowledge and experience with others in the community, our Project Leader, Workineh Genetu, formed the first Project Ethiopia Farmers’ Association in 2007. The goal was simple from the beginning: By training a core group of farmers in each village to improve their practices and increase yield, knowledge would spread naturally among families and neighbors to eventually impact an entire community.

Thank you to our guests, donors, and sponsors for another successful Empowering Villagers, Transforming Lives fundraising dinner in April! We are excited to report that we raised $51,000 for community-led projects which will include...

Expanding access to a primary school education has been a core component of Project Ethiopia’s mission from the very beginning. Our work started with the kebeles and villages closest to Dangla town and has been expanding in ever-widening concentric circles over the years. In that time, we have built 23 new primary school buildings and improved 25 existing buildings for a total of 152 classrooms; creating access to primary education and a pathway to high school for thousands.

Every fall, Project Ethiopia provides support packages valued at $200 to aspiring young adults who have successfully passed the university entrance exam. All past awards have been provided to 50 students each year; the 20 top highest scoring girls, the 20 top highest scoring boys, and 10 students who have passed the exam and have special needs or represent the most economically disadvantaged. This year, we are delighted to report that we expanded our awards to 80 students by increasing the number of neediest student awards to a total of 40.

A dry home is one of the most significant improvements that can be made for a rural family. Traditional homes in the countryside have grass roofing that often leaks during the rainy season. As well, the grass used for roofing is not sustainable because grasslands have been reduced by population growth and farm expansion.

Because a family’s diet is so often self-sourced or bought locally, without healthy and prolific livestock production, many become – or are raised – malnourished.

It’s that time of the year in the U.S. when back to school buzz is filling the air. There are advertisements for the newest fall fashions and school supplies popping up in all the stores where we shop. As an elementary school teacher, education is always in the forefront of my mind. I am constantly in awe of the human mind and our capacity to learn new things every day.

Did you know that Ethiopia celebrates the new year or Enkutatash in September? September 11th – or Meskerem 1st, according to the Ethiopian calendar – marks the first day of the Ethiopian New Year.