Hearing that we were going to Ethiopia, a childhood family friend of Benoit’s, who volunteers for a French charity, asked if we’d like to take clothes and school supplies to give away. Héléne’s charity, Association Solidarité-Partage, receives donations of clothing and household items to give to those in need, including sending them with travelers when they visit poorer countries. This felt like a great idea. It would help others and give us yet another way to get to know the Ethiopian people.

One thing we didn’t know, was how challenging it was going to be to find a charity to donate to! As I mentioned before, there aren’t many Ethiopian based websites as they’re expensive to set up and maintain for most people, such that even businesses don’t find it worth the expense. Charities, of course, usually want to spend their money on the people they’re serving versus telling the world about it.

It took 3 days of research to find what we were looking for, reading traveler’s blogs and foreign business’ descriptions of visiting and supporting various organizations, plus piecing together where the locations might be from the descriptions. Luckily, one of the ones that we liked the most had received support several years ago from a foreign business who’d posted a page about their donations along with the address and phone number of the charity. Jack pot!

After asking our concierge to call and confirm the address and request a visit, we were off… 

Mz. Muday has an amazing story, which you can read about on Our Story, and basically what started out as a mixed school for kids who could pay along with those who couldn’t, turned into a school for only the poor children and eventually homeless women as well.

The idea of this benevolent organization is to feed, clothe and educate the participants, so that they gain skills to make a living and get off of the streets. The children get a typical school education and the women can choose from any number of trades including tailoring, basketmaking, pottery, weaving, cooking, etc.. The charity helps the women sell the goods that they make in a little store on site and by organizing contracts such as a nearby nursing school that buys daily bread for their lunch room.

It was a very moving experience, as you can imagine. Being in the presence of people so active in turning their lives around was lovely. Community support is a beautiful thing. And seeing the shining faces of the kids fed, clean, safe and happy was heart warming in a way that only sparkly kids at play can be.

Benoit was so moved by the stories that people were telling us of their lives and the living heart of the organization that he offered to make them a website. He wanted to allow foreigners to find out about their work and donate support. They shared that other sites had been made before, but they hadn’t come to fruition for various reasons… And indeed creating a new site ended up being a long, slow process that offered a variety of unexpected challenges. For the full color version of that story, ask Benoit next time you see him… and, of course, you can enjoy the eventual triumph of Benoit and the team at, MudayCharity.org

If you feel moved to donate to them, please do. I highly recommend it. Your donation will be well used. Muday is an amazing human, and the things that she and her team are able to do, championing so many in such challenging situations is incredible. She, and they, are a testament to the power and beauty of the human spirit.

Donations can be make through the site, MudayCharity.org.

I hope that you can feel the gift that these people are giving each other. Humans helping each other live better lives is an inspiration that we can all live up to every day… even if it’s just a smile to a passing stranger. And of course, that smile that you’re gifting another, is also a gift to yourself, lighting up your heart.

You are a blessing.
In Joy,
Elena