Who We Are:

"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world" -

Nelson Mandela

When spiders unite they can tie up a lion

- Ethiopian proverb

100% of donations benefit Ehtiopian children and their families

Project Ethiopia has 501(c)(3) status

Judy & Dennis pay for all administrative and travel costs.

We buy local & hire local to benefit local economy

For as little as 7 pennies, you can help!

$4.70 for a school uniform

$1.63 for school supplies for a year

$0.07 for a bar of soap

$1 for a reading book

$35 for a triple desk

$10 for a bench

$2,300 for school well

$365 for piped water for a school well

$0.40 for drinking bottle

$12,000 for school latrine

$15 for soccer ball

$1 for jump rope

$17.50 for a white cane

$4.50 for a ream of Braille paper

$35 for a beehive

$2 for a sickle for the women or child to weed and harvest

$78 for a family latrine

$400 for a concrete floor

$2,100 for a village well

How It All Began

Sometimes a trip changes everything...
On their first trip to Ethiopia in 2002, Judy & Dennis found the rural farm children very bright and very eager to learn, but many were so poor the family could not afford the cost of the school uniform or the pencil and note book required.

Project Ethiopia is a group of four individuals who had a vision of how to give Ethiopian children the same opportunities as North American children. Recently, Project Ethiopia has joined forces with Interfaith Community Church in Seattle and offer tax receipts for US donations.

They are:

     Judy: a retired mathematics professor from Seattle.

     Dennis: a retired manager from a telecommunications company in Vancouver, B.C.

    Awoke: a former history teacher, now tour operator in Addis Ababa. He sees ways to help and gives "can do" leadership. He kindles community spirit on the projects.

    Workineh: Awoke's brother. Workineh is a progressive, organic farmer and beekeeper in Dangla, who has preserved an indigenous forest, composts, and harvests rain water. He is Ethiopia's Farmer of the Year for 1999, 2000, 2001 and A Millennium Man in 2000 (these are Ethiopian's Julian calendar years - for the Gregorian calendar that is used in Europe and North America: 2006, 2007 and 2008)

Project Ethiopia Board

Sally Jo Gilbert de Vargas
Judy Sanderman
Mary Ann Hagen
Carol Watson
David Heitmiller
Dennis Wilkins

Team Leaders in Ethiopia

Berkay Shambel and Suwallow

It all started with $300...

After retirement, Judy and Dennis reluctantly fulfilled a promise to visit a friend in Ethiopia. The poverty seen on this trip inspired them to entrust $300 to their guide, Awoke Genetu, in 2003. He accounted for every penny spent, including receipts and photos, for 25 student uniforms, 86 books, and teacher supplies. Judy and Dennis were “hooked” and have eagerly made five additional Ethiopia trips to oversee their project.

Project Ethiopia

Who We Are:

How It All Began

Project Ethiopia is a group of four individuals who had a vision of how to give Ethiopian children the same opportunities as North American children. Recently, Project Ethiopia has joined forces with Interfaith Community Church in Seattle and offer tax receipts for US donations.

It all started with $300...