Project Ethiopia’s Farmers’ Associations provide crucial equipment to farmers and teach them cost-effective, environmentally appropriate farming approaches so that they can become economically self-sustainable and lift their families out of extreme poverty. Farmers’ Associations also provide a way to combat environmental problems, including those posed by climate change.

Judy Sanderman was recently awarded the “Mind and Heart Distinguished Alumni Award,” from Whitworth University (‘64). Judy was honored for the work she and her late husband Dennis Wilkins have accomplished with Project Ethiopia over the last 20 years. Read our interview with Judy about the history and development of this amazing project.

Ato Mola, a 45-year-old resident of Geduta Village, has dedicated himself to improving education for the community. Despite limited resources, he and his wife Mulu built a small school with community support and eventually expanded it to serve grades 1-8, with help from Project Ethiopia. Their efforts have allowed their five children and many others to receive a solid education close to home.

Dagne and Emebet, residents of the Warkit kebele in Dangla, have no lack of words to describe how their new solar lantern provided by Project Ethiopia has made a significant difference in the quality of life for their family.

Yebirgual expanded her honey and dairy production with the help of Project Ethiopia, becoming one of the few pioneer women beekeepers in the region and significantly increasing her income.

Agriculture plays an important role in the life and livelihood of most Ethiopians, where about 12 million smallholder farming households account for an estimated 95% of agricultural production and 85% of employment.  This makes it even more impressive that Workineh Genetu, Project Ethiopia’s leader of its Farmers’ Association program, has been named Ethiopia’s Farmer of the Year four separate times.

School is just around the corner for students in Ethiopia! As families prepare for the return to school (or may have already started) in the U.S., we would like to share the story of one family in Ethiopia who is doing the same and how a typical school day looks for the children.

Meet Shega. Shega was born in the community of East Zelessa in the Dangla countryside. After completing the highest level - 6th grade - at the community primary school, Shega’s parents sent her to live with her elder sister in Wollega (located in southwest Ethiopia) to continue her education. With the small salary she earned working in a hotel, Shega’s sister could support both of them. Soon after she arrived, however, her sister became ill. For the next several months, Shega delayed her education and focused on caring for her sister.

Assaye and Amarech live in the Dengeshta community and have been married for 35 years, but their families have lived only 2 km from one another all their lives. When they were first married, Assaye and Amarech lived with Assaye’s family. After four years, the couple received one hectare farmland (approximately 2.5 acres) from Assaye’s parents who also built them a tikul (the traditional grass roofed home in the countryside) to start their own family.