In Ethiopia, countless families face an impossible decision every day: send their children to school hungry, or pull them out of the classroom to work to help feed their families.

A devastating food shortage and deadly malaria outbreak have left families in Ethiopia in urgent need of assistance.

As a supporter of Roots Ethiopia, you know that education and job creation is at the heart of our mission. While we are laser focused on children, education, and moms, we cannot ignore the urgent needs of families facing unexpected crises.

In Ethiopia’s educational landscape, 8th grade isn’t just another year—it’s a pivotal moment that can shape a child’s entire future. This is Hilena’s story, a bright young girl whose life took an inspiring turn thanks to the straightforward yet powerful intervention from the loving support of donors like you: 10 weeks of grade 8 tutoring.

When you look at this photograph of three young girls carrying water in rural Ethiopia, what do you see?

Are you ready to make a powerful difference in the world? Friday, October 10th, is your chance to shine on DAF Day – an incredible opportunity for you to maximize your charitable giving!

Have you heard about SHOEtember? It’s not a typo, and it’s not about fall fashion trends. SHOEtember is an annual opportunity to ensure children can walk confidently to school – quite literally!

In the picturesque setting of Gimbichu, where lush green landscapes are dotted with hand-hewn homes and playful children, a group of remarkable women are transforming their lives.

Have you ever wondered what gives Ethiopian dishes that irresistible kick and complex flavor? Meet the star of Ethiopian kitchens: berbere spice! It’s not just a seasoning — it’s a taste of Ethiopian culture and history.

Remember when you first learned to read? The excitement of understanding math? The pride of wearing a new school uniform? For 11-year-old Kokebe, these simple joys are at risk of becoming distant dreams.

Wayziro Worke is a mother of two young girls, and she is raising her niece. When we first met her, she was alone, worried, with a lot of responsibility; a rent that was hard to pay, lack of confidence that she would be able to keep her children in school, and not enough money to keep her 3 children well cared for at home.

It takes power to stand up for yourself. And knowledge. How do you self-advocate if you don’t have access to the tools needed to improve your life? How do you reach self-reliance? And, finally, it takes a community having your back. Do like-minded community members see your potential and your struggle? Do they believe in you?

There are staggering roadblocks to success for a woman like Hanna. Forced to abandon school in the 9th grade. Married at an early age and soon the young mother of two daughters. Her husband’s mental illness and inability to work. Her younger daughter’s neurological disease. Aging parents who move in with her. Hanna. The 24-year-old who’s already lived a half dozen lifetimes is now tasked with supporting her entire family.

We are so excited for you to meet Barkot Alemu, a 14 year old girl whose name means “Blessing the World”. What a perfect name for a shining star in her 8th grade class at Mugunja Primary School in rural Ethiopia. Barkot is the top student in her class, and she’s an amazing leader among girls and students in her village.

Sometimes we get to witness amazing stories. Today is one of those days. We celebrate this sweet boy, now fitted with an adaptive wheelchair, who will join the Special Education classroom in Halaba in September. He will FINALLY attend school — something he has dreamed about for so long!

A teacher at a rural school tries to angle the mirror of a sunlight-illuminated microscope towards the window to light a biology slide. A student strains his eyes in the cool darkness of a classroom to read his textbook.

Tadelech’s children are headed back to school this week. They attend school regularly because their MOM IS A ROCKSTAR entrepreneur! Tadelech is part of a Roots Ethiopia Self-Help Entrepreneurs (SHE). She sells bananas and eggs in the market – and she even has a secret way of ripening her savory bananas.

The biggest reward of any Roots Ethiopia project is not just marveling how your collective generosity can transform a community or a school or a classroom. It’s seeing how that loving investment can light up a child’s face.

It’s one thing to believe in the promise of a child; it’s a whole other kind of gift to see that promise lived. Earlier this year we introduced you to eight-year-old Betsega — one of the 250 kids benefiting from a Roots Ethiopia school sponsorship. Thanks to your support Betsega goes to school.

10-year old Dinkenesh is an Ethiopian education success story. In a worn notebook, she precisely prints today’s school lessons. This book is her greatest pride, and each page represents another day she is back in school.

Our Shone Youth Sports Project has been up and running for a year and we are thrilled to share some of the progress we see playing out on the soccer field.

November was an exciting and busy month for thirty-nine (39) Science Teachers whose rural schools have received science laboratory materials from Roots Ethiopia.