We are thrilled to announce that Aschalew Abebe has joined the Kidmia team as our Ethiopia Director. As in-country director Aschalew oversees all aspects of Kidmia’s work in Ethiopia: ensuring the overall well-being of children at the Kidmia campus, managing staff, overseeing budget and facilities, working with local churches, organizations and governments, reporting to the U.S. Kidmia board…he truly is the eyes and ears of Kidmia in Ethiopia!

Aschalew (ahh-shaw-low), a native Ethiopian, is husband to Ruth and father to a four-year-old boy, Fikir. They live in Addis Ababa, the capital city of Ethiopia. He holds a degree in Sociology and Social Administration from Addis Ababa University and studied in both Germany and Chile to complete a Masters degree in Regional Development Planning and Management. He has worked for both World Vision International (developing holistic ministries and programs) and local non-profits where he enabled thirty local churches to start successful and influential ministries aimed at serving orphans and vulnerable children.

Aschalew says he joined Kidmia because he was “encouraged and stimulated by its vision of bringing holistic and sustainable transformation in the lives of orphans and vulnerable children, families and communities.” This, he says, fell in line beautifully with his own God-given passion, a passion stirred in him by James 1:27, ”Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress.”

As Aschalew describes, “According to Matthew 25:31-43, the standard of judgment on the last day will be the way we treat the poor who are living among us today, especially orphans. Have we fed, clothed, and cared for them, recognizing Jesus in them? We put vast amounts of money into church and office buildings, the latest sound and video systems, sophisticated office equipment, and we put a very small portion of our resources into caring for those who are the least among us. Let us put our Christian faith into action by taking care of orphaned and vulnerable children, who are at the center of God’s heart and agenda.”