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.

This past spring, Project Ethiopia was the recipient of an international programs grant from one of our most faithful supporters, the Kent Rotary Club. This most recent grant will make it possible to provide University Transition Awards to 25 Dangla high school graduates who will be leaving for university in September.

This past May, I was fortunate to take my second trip to Dangla since joining Project Ethiopia. It was the very beginning of the rainy season – sunny mornings followed by thunderstorms and torrential rain in the afternoons. Many things were familiar upon my return; the roads to certain villages, the stores and restaurants around my hotel; and, of course, the dedicated Project Ethiopia staff.

Project Ethiopia serves rural villages in the Dangla woreda of the nation’s Amhara region. But where is Dangla, what’s a “woreda,” and what does it really look like?

"Dennis will be remembered by thousands of children who are attending schools built by him.  He will be remembered by the poorest of the poor who are living in good houses now. He will be remembered by thousands of people who got access to clean water.  He will be remembered by many thousands for all the wise decisions he made and all the good work that he did." 

After five months of planning and many volunteer hours, Project Ethiopia hosted its first fundraising dinner – Empowering Villagers, Transforming Lives – this past October at the Ethiopian Community in Seattle.

This past fall, Project Ethiopia undertook a search to hire our first-ever Executive Director as founders, Dennis Wilkins and Judy Sanderman, prepared to step back after more than 11 years building and leading the organization. We are pleased to introduce and welcome our new Executive Director, Sue Wilkes, who started this past January!