On a sunny Sunday afternoon in June, more than 500 women and men spread across the wide grassy area in front of the local Orthodox church. They were there as part of Project Ethiopia’s latest efforts to provide outreach, education, and soap to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 among vulnerable rural families.

It’s 6:28 pm. The sun has set and you must spend the rest of your waking hours in darkness. The only option for lighting your home is an expensive, inefficient kerosene lamp that exposes your family to toxic fumes. This is the reality for the majority of families living in rural Ethiopia.

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.