Grow East Africa organization works in Southern Ethiopia and Northern Kenya, assisting minority and marginalized rural poor farming communities often neglected by their governments and other NGOs. Our initial projects started in Southern Ethiopia and focused on Burji communities, located in Southern Nations and Nationalities People Regional States of Ethiopia. We work with rural poor and refugee families to improve their livelihoods by introducing sustainable agriculture. We also help villagers with access to clean drinking water and health services. Moreover, we work with the local school system to adopt modern learning materials such as computer/science labs.
Burji District has a population of 150,000; most are subsistent farmers. There are 26 villages, no paved roads, three high schools, five clinics, and no hospital. Burji District is an economically depressed region of Ethiopia where the majority of the people barely survive. The combination of recent climate change that ushered in food insecurity, political insecurity, and tribal clashes has further deteriorated this community’s livelihoods.