2016: A Year in Review

2016: A YEAR IN REVIEW
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Far beyond changing socio-economic
status, this fight against crippling poverty
is about affirming dignity and identity.
It’s about restoring agency to community
leaders who will forge the pathway forward.

Dear friends,
In 2016, I experienced a moment that impacted me profoundly.
Sitting in a dimly-lit community church, our leadership team
in Ethiopia was meeting with members of our Child Selection
Committee to identify the most destitute in the community.
This would help us determine which children were eligible to
enroll in our sponsorship program. As we discussed each family
in turn, one of the church elders simply stated, “We are all poor.
The question is, who is the poorest of the poor?”
This moment has stayed with me as we’ve seen the foundation
of our work take root in the community this year. And this
is the spirit that guides the work of the leaders of these
communities, who are passionately committed to serving the
most vulnerable among them. They simply need the resources,
training and encouragement necessary to create change for
their community.
They need to know that extreme poverty is not the inevitable
path for their children. Far beyond changing socio-economic
status, this fight against crippling poverty is about restoring
dignity and identity. It’s about reversing the suicide rate in the
community, from those who’ve chosen a tragic way out of the
desperation. It’s about restoring agency to community leaders
who will forge the pathway forward.
We are seeing hope emerge. We’re seeing children go to
school and receive life-saving medical treatments. We’re seeing
women make changes in the home to keep their families
healthy and prevent the spread of disease. We’re seeing
parents save their wages to invest in future businesses. We’re
seeing community leaders advocate for the initiatives that will
lead to transformation.
I want to thank you, sincerely, for your generous support
of Three Roots International this past year. Your donations
and prayers are making a tremendous impact in the lives of
hundreds of people. Our team is truly humbled to partner with
you in this work. Thank you for carrying the vision forward.
Below, you’ll find highlights of the past year and what you’ve
helped to accomplish. We celebrate these victories, and we are
excited to continue the charge in 2017!
Warmly,
Susan Conway
Executive Director, Three Roots International
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Friends,
I give thanks to the God for the work and growth
of Three Roots International in Ethiopia. The
community we serve is full of life, but severely
affected by poverty. Most parents do not have
enough income to provide the most basic needs
for their families: food, shelter, clothes, and
medical treatment. Roughly five children per
family lack a quality education.
Over the past year, however, we have sown the
seeds of change, and we are seeing our community
bloom. Three Roots has supported 67 of the
poorest families in the community by providing
necessary school items and medical checkups. Your
generous support prevented the local school from
closing and will give hundreds of students access to
a quality education. For many families, this school
is the only option. Saving the local school has had
a profound impact on this community—one that is
difficult for you and me to fathom.
Your support has given bright hope to
community members. Families are beginning to
see how Three Roots can make a real impact in
their lives. None of this would be possible without
your prayers and financial support. I want to take
this opportunity to personally thank you for your
extremely generous contributions. Donations like
yours are providing children with a warm, secure
environment where they can receive quality
education and health care. May God bless
you abundantly.
With sincere gratitude,
Demissie Tilahun
Country Director,
Three Roots International
Saving the local school has had a profound impact on this
community—one that is difficult for you and me to fathom.

WHO WE ARE
Our mission is to cultivate community
development and economic capacity by
empowering families through education,
health, and income-generating activities.
We are working to eradicate complex poverty through sustainable solutions:
Your Impact
67
of the most
vulnerable
families receiving
support through
our sponsorship
program
7
community
members
serving on the
newly-formed
Parent Teacher
Association
Delivering high-quality health education, empowering community
health trainers, and giving direct medical care so that people can
LIVE long and healthy lives
Restoring the opportunity for children and adults to LEARN
through high-quality early childhood, primary, secondary, and
literacy education
Equipping men and women to EARN a predictable income through
business development training, savings groups, and mentorship
Building the capacity of community leaders to maintain program
initiatives with skill, knowledge, and integrity, so that communities
can THRIVE for years to come
15
members of
community
serving on the
newly-formed
Community
Development
Committee
429
students being
served through
the Bobagaya
Primary School **
17
young adults
trained as child
sponsorship
mentors and
teachers
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teachers at the
school receiving
training and
support
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BUILDING A STRONG FOUNDATION
IN THE COMMUNITY
In 2016, our biggest task was developing the foundations for
community-led empowerment and transformation. We formed
a Community Development Committee (CDC) comprised of
15 people who will guide the community in developmental
activities. This committee is critical to our empowerment focus.
Members of the CDC receive ongoing training from Three
Roots to take ownership of the community’s role in growth
activities and to oversee progress, which is essential for the
community to sustain the gains we are making.
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A New Partnership
In the Spring, Three Roots signed a formal Memorandum of
Understanding (MOU) with Kale Hewyet Kiriftu Development
Center, bringing 15 years of community development
experience to our geographic project area.
Paving the road ahead
After nine months of arduous work, our comprehensive
three-year project proposal and budget were submitted and
approved by the government, which was essential for the
work in the community to go forward. We have an incredibly
savvy team in Ethiopia, and they have brilliantly navigated the
strict and very challenging government regulations to develop
a proposal for our integrated development approach through
the local church. This approval process can take years for some
NGOs, and God has truly blessed us by removing this barrier.

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Addressing harmful beliefs
Our unwavering belief in the power of communities to change
energizes us to respectfully challenge some of the prevailing
beliefs of the people we serve. We have started conversations
with the community to better understand their mindset about
education. Through open dialogue, we are discussing the value
of education and how it can bring about powerful change for
all. The desire of so many parents to send their children to
school is very encouraging, and we are committed to helping
them make their dreams a reality.
An empowered local church
The church is a vital structure and a critical part of
community life, and Three Roots works closely with the local
church to help in its mission to provide spiritual and physical
support. We are grateful that the village church is growing and
is led by our passionate friend, Abebe. Abebe himself was the
chief witch doctor in the community until he had an encounter
with God, moments before he planned to commit suicide. He
now leads the team of elders in thinking boldly about how to
reach the entire community. While Abebe only has a fifth-grade
education, he has a mighty vision for the empowerment and
growth of the most needy members of his community.

Reta’s Story
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Reta’s mother is HIV positive and his father is unable to
care for him. Abandoned at the age of 10, Reta was taken
in by a church member. It’s very common for orphaned
children to be moved among homes when the financial
burden becomes too great for one family. Last year, Reta
was displaced from various homes four times. Three
Roots located Reta’s grandmother, and works with her
on providing the support and stability that Reta needs.
She is committed to his care, saying, “For as long as
I live, he will have a home with me.”

CARE FOR THE MOST VULNERABLE
Last year, we expanded our child sponsorship
program by 25% to support 17 additional children.
To help all 67 children in our program live healthy
lives, we’ve partnered with a local health clinic
to bring certified health professionals into the
community to examine and treat the children at
no cost.
Our sponsored children received comprehensive
medical checkups including a full physical, medical
history review, and routine blood work. For many, it
was their first such examination. The visits revealed
severe skin and gastrointestinal conditions in many of
the children, with 68 percent infected with at least one
parasite. Because these children now have access to
medical care through the clinic partnership, they are
being treated and given necessary medications. These
children are now on the road to a healthier future.
Our sponsorship program
is growing by 20% per year.
In addition to providing medical care, Three Roots also
supports the children’s educational needs. Each child
receives a new pair of shoes and new clothing, along
with school supplies like textbooks and notebooks.
Our multi-dimensional approach has also provided
support for their caregivers through heath training
and income-generating activities. All of our sponsored
families, from small children to grandparents, are
benefiting from opportunities to learn.
Training Young Adults
in Teaching and Mentorship
We have provided training for 17 young adults so they
can lead programs for our sponsored children. It’s a
wonderful opportunity to empower these young adults
by giving them a leadership role—something they’ve
never experienced. The children will meet weekly
to receive teaching on spiritual life and character
development, while the young adult teachers will meet
monthly with the Three Roots team. The church plays a
critical role in children’s welfare, and this programming
will further solidify its role in the community.
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BRINGING THE SCHOOL BACK TO LIFE
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We asked you to save the Bobagaya Primary School,*
and you responded. Hundreds of students returned to
their classrooms in January and thirteen staff kept their
jobs. The government has provided a small number
of needed textbooks, and we’ve started planning for
infrastructure improvements like running water and new
latrines. We also launched a Parent Teacher Association
at the school, and we’re excited to train and strengthen
this group in 2017.
Roughly five children per
family lack a quality education.
In 2016, we delivered the first teacher training for
teachers at the school, focusing on classroom
management, instructional strategies, positive learning
environments, and lesson planning. This is the first time
these teachers sat together and received professional
development of any kind.
The training provided by Three Roots empowered the
teachers to collaborate with their colleagues and learn
new strategies for teaching the hundreds of students
that attend the school.
“I learned so much from the teachers
about passion and strength that I still
carry with me. The thing that made the
training so amazing was knowing that as
we were empowering the teachers, they
were also empowering their students.”
—JESSICA WATKINS,
participant on 2016 trip
In 2017, our School Improvement Plan will focus on
four critical areas: renovations to facilities, training
and capacity building for teachers, improving school
leadership and administration, and increasing
community participation.
The Ethiopian government
has invited us to train 42 of
their local teachers in June
of 2017, including two teachers
from 21 government schools
in our project area.

Sidise’s Story
Sidise is a chemistry, math, and physics teacher at the
school. She teaches a class of 42 third-graders and loves
the children like they are her own. She walks one hour to
and from school each day. Sidise would like to see basic
improvements to the school facilities—things that we take
for granted, like electricity. She believes simple changes will
make a big impact in the lives of the children, and would love
to see the school thrive and succeed. Thanks to you, Sidise
and her fellow teachers received both salary increases and
transportation funds to take local taxis to work.
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“If the school wasn’t there, I could teach elsewhere,
but it would be devastating for the community.
They wouldn’t have the chance to be educated.”
—SIDISE

Eliyas’ Story
Eliyas, one of the sponsored children, suffered from a severe
parasitic infection on his face. Without medical attention, the
infection would have spread and threatened his vision and
facial tissue. Eliyas’ parents took him to a traditional healer
instead of a medical clinic. The wound became severe.
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Three Roots intervened and admitted Eliyas to a
specialized hospital in Addis Ababa for testing and care.
After four separate hospitalizations, Eliyas’ condition has
dramatically improved.
He has returned home and has
gone back to school. Our team is
counseling his parents on the value
of effective medical treatment. The
rapid response of our in-country
team and generosity of our sponsors
has made a dramatic difference in
the life of this child.

IMPROVING
THE HEALTH
OF FAMILIES
During a visit by a Three Roots
International team last June, members of
the community learned critical information
and skills to keep their families healthy.
As part of our ongoing health education
efforts, small groups learned about basic
hygiene skills, including hand-washing, to
prevent the spread of infectious disease.
Handwashing is the most effective method
of preventing infection, and all participants
received soap and soap containers to help
promote this practice.
We also provided the first-ever dental care
training for the children in the sponsorship
program and their families. Children
received toothbrushes, toothpaste, and
toothbrush holders so they can begin
practicing healthy dental habits and cavity
prevention. We are encouraged to see new
health-enhancing ideas both accepted and
put into practice.
HOPE AND
INDEPENDENCE: SAVINGS
GROUPS FOR WOMEN
At the end of 2016, we launched the first savings groups for
women, designed to help mothers learn how to manage money
and generate income. Each group consists of 12-15 women who
meet twice a month and save their money in a joint bank account.
As a group, they agree on when to give loans to one another in
order to meet a critical need or to start a small business. Three
Roots will provide ten initial trainings this year and ongoing support
and supervision to these groups.
“The self help group is a way for us to make
additional income. We are farmers and during
harvest time, we need fertilizer. This is very
expensive. Through this group, I can buy fertilizer
to grow my crops. Then, during harvest time, I pay
back this loan. This group really helps us to solve
our problems. As women, we are able to share the
burden together. We make our own decisions about
our money. We have freedom.”
—JAMANESH, member of savings group
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Expanding the Three Roots’ Team
Danielle Stasko and Aida Abdul-wali joined our U.S. team
to coordinate our Child Sponsorship program. Danielle has
a deep passion for Africa after traveling to Ethiopia in 2012
and subsequently living in Uganda for several months, and
she is loved by the local community members. Originally from
Ethiopia, Aida was a member of Three Roots’ June 2016 team,
and she is a model of joy and integrity, with incredible love for
the Ethiopian people.
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Special Thanks
We want to extend special appreciation to our all-volunteer
U.S. team for their passion and dedication to the work
of Three Roots International. Operating with unpaid staff
and donated office space in the U.S. allows us to devote
significantly more of our resources to our programs in the field.
Gaining Recognition on the Classy 100 List
Three Roots was named to the 2016 Classy 100 list, an annual
compilation of growing nonprofits on the world’s leading online
fundraising platform for social enterprises. We are proud and
honored to have been ranked number 21 out of the list of 100
organizations recognized as one of Classy’s most consistently
growing nonprofits.
“God is not unjust; he will not
forget your work and the love
you have shown him as you have
helped his people and continue
to help them.”
— HEBREWS 6:10 (NIV)

“You are love. There is no other
word to describe you, but love.”
DERARE, DIRECTOR OF THE COMMUNITY SCHOOL
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Three Roots International cultivates
community development and
capacity by empowering families
through education, health, and
income-generating activities.
By partnering with select communities, we deliver
integrated solutions to equip vulnerable people for
stable and sustained well-being.
Three Roots International
PO Box 1382, Fairfax, VA 22038-1382
threeroots.org
*Please do not publicly post the name of the school.