Introduction
Ethiopiaid is a UK-registered international development charity that raises funds for trusted Ethiopian organizations working to reduce poverty, protect dignity and create sustainable opportunities for vulnerable and marginalized communities across Ethiopia.
History and Background
Ethiopiaid was founded by British entrepreneur and philanthropist Sir Alec Reed after he visited Ethiopia in 1987 and witnessed both the hardship facing communities and the determination of local people to improve their lives.
Sir Alec Reed established Ethiopiaid in October 1989 with an initial investment of £1 million. The organization was registered as a charity on 8 November 1989 and operates as a charitable company limited by guarantee. Since its establishment, Ethiopiaid has awarded more than £37 million in grants to partner organizations.
The charity has maintained a partnership-based model rather than establishing large operational teams in Ethiopia. It raises funds and directs them to locally led Ethiopian organizations that possess the knowledge, experience and community relationships required to deliver effective programmes.
Ethiopiaid is also part of an international fundraising and grant-making network comprising separately registered charities in the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada and Ireland. Each organization develops fundraising activities suited to its country while contributing to a shared global strategy.
Mission and Purpose
Ethiopiaid’s vision is an Ethiopia where every person has access to quality education, healthcare and a life of dignity.
Its mission is to break the cycle of poverty by enabling disadvantaged and vulnerable people and their communities to live with dignity, strengthen their resilience and develop sustainable solutions to the challenges they face.
The organization focuses on several interconnected areas:
- Maternal healthcare and obstetric fistula.
- Women’s and girls’ rights, health and protection.
- Education, vocational training and employability.
- Healthcare, nutrition, welfare and palliative care.
- Disability inclusion, rehabilitation and mobility support.
- Emergency relief, post-conflict recovery and community resilience.
- Sustainable livelihoods and poverty reduction.
Ethiopiaid emphasizes locally led development. Its Ethiopian partners identify community needs, design appropriate responses and implement projects using their local knowledge and technical expertise.
Governance and Structure
Ethiopiaid is governed by a Board of Trustees that is responsible for the charity’s strategy, oversight, finances, assets, risk management and regulatory compliance.
Under its governing documents, Ethiopiaid’s Management Committee must have at least six and normally no more than eight trustees. Trustees generally serve three-year terms and may retire or be reappointed. The Board holds at least three meetings each year, including an Annual General Meeting.
Trustees are selected according to the skills, knowledge, experience and commitment they can contribute to the charity. The organization also seeks to retain links with the Reed founding family while including independent trustees with relevant professional expertise.
Day-to-day operations are managed by a Chief Executive Officer and staff team. The CEO reports to the Board of Trustees through its chairperson. Ethiopiaid also maintains safeguarding, whistleblowing, anti-fraud, anti-corruption and conflict-of-interest policies.
The charity requires its Ethiopian partners to maintain safeguarding standards and conducts monitoring and evaluation to assess programme delivery, organizational development and community impact.
Funding and Grants
Ethiopiaid raises money and awards grants to selected locally led charities operating in Ethiopia. Its income comes from individual donations, regular giving, charitable trusts and foundations, philanthropic contributions, legacies, fundraising appeals, Gift Aid, institutional grants and investment income.
According to its 2024 accounts, Ethiopiaid recorded approximately £2.25 million in income from donations, legacies, Gift Aid and gifts in kind. It awarded approximately £1.95 million in grants during the year.
Ethiopiaid directs both restricted and unrestricted funds to its programmes. Restricted donations are used for specified projects or thematic areas, while unrestricted funds allow the charity to respond to urgent needs and support essential organizational costs.
The charity selects partners according to principles that include integrity, passion, excellence and commitment. Before entering a new partnership, Ethiopiaid undertakes due diligence to evaluate governance, financial management, safeguarding practices, operational capacity and potential risks.
Ethiopiaid usually maintains partnerships while a clear need exists and funding can continue to generate significant impact. Its grants are primarily directed to established partner organizations and should not be treated as a continuously open public grant programme unless the charity announces a specific funding opportunity.
Major Programs and Initiatives
Maternal Healthcare and Obstetric Fistula
Ethiopiaid supports organizations working to make pregnancy and childbirth safer, particularly for women living in rural and underserved communities.
Partner activities include antenatal care, midwifery training, community health education, obstetric fistula prevention, surgery and post-treatment rehabilitation. Women receiving fistula treatment may also receive counselling, literacy support and assistance with social reintegration.
Ethiopiaid works with organizations such as the Hamlin Fistula Midwifery College, Healing Hands of Joy and other Ethiopian maternal-health providers.
Women and Girls
The charity funds locally led programmes that protect women and girls, promote gender equality and strengthen their participation in community life.
These initiatives address female genital mutilation, child marriage, sexual and gender-based violence and barriers to healthcare. Other activities include cervical-cancer awareness, free screening and treatment, counselling and livelihood support for women experiencing poverty or recovering from conflict.
Approximately 80% of the people supported through Ethiopiaid’s partners are women and girls.
Education and Employability
Ethiopiaid supports children and young people who face financial, social or practical barriers to education.
Funded activities include school meals, learning materials, university sponsorships, reusable menstrual products and vocational training. Employability programmes provide practical instruction in areas such as electronics, mechanics, hospitality, tailoring, information technology and business skills.
These projects seek to help students remain in education, acquire recognized qualifications and access sustainable employment.
Health and Welfare
Ethiopiaid’s healthcare and welfare programmes assist people who may otherwise struggle to access essential services.
Its partners provide home-based hospice and palliative care, treatment for neglected tropical diseases, food assistance and support for older people living in extreme poverty. Programmes also provide counselling, specialist healthcare and protective footwear for people affected by podoconiosis.
Disability Inclusion and Rehabilitation
Ethiopiaid partners with organizations providing healthcare, education and livelihood opportunities to children and adults with disabilities.
Supported services include surgery, physiotherapy, rehabilitation, prosthetic limbs, wheelchairs and other mobility aids. Mobile outreach programmes help reach people living in remote communities, while education initiatives enable children receiving rehabilitation to continue their studies.
Partners also conduct community awareness activities to challenge discrimination and improve accessibility and social inclusion.
Emergency Relief and Recovery
Ethiopiaid supports communities affected by conflict, drought, flooding, landslides, displacement and other humanitarian emergencies.
Its partners provide food, water, shelter, medical care and nutritional support. Recovery programmes may restore maternal and child healthcare services, protect livestock, rebuild livelihoods and help women restart small businesses.
The organization combines immediate humanitarian assistance with longer-term measures that help communities prepare for and recover from future crises.
Local Partnerships in Ethiopia
Ethiopiaid supports locally led projects in different parts of Ethiopia, from the Afar region to Addis Ababa and other urban and rural communities.
Its partners have included the Afar Pastoralist Development Association, Cheshire Services Ethiopia, Hamlin Fistula Midwifery College, Healing Hands of Joy, Hope Enterprises, Hospice Ethiopia, Studio Samuel, Wings of Healing and Support for Children, Women and Older People.
These organizations work directly with communities and deliver projects that reflect local priorities, cultural contexts and practical realities.
Impact and Examples of Work Funded
Ethiopiaid reports that 218,973 people were reached through Ethiopiaid-funded projects during its latest reported year. Its impact extends across maternal health, women’s rights, education, disability inclusion, emergency response and community welfare.
Examples of reported impact include:
- Women receiving surgery, counselling and rehabilitation for obstetric fistula.
- Rural women accessing antenatal care through midwives and Safe Motherhood Ambassadors.
- Women receiving cervical-cancer screening, treatment and ongoing support.
- Survivors of sexual and gender-based violence receiving counselling and business training.
- Children and adults receiving prosthetics, wheelchairs and other mobility aids.
- Students accessing vocational education, university sponsorship and employment support.
- Girls receiving reusable period packs to help them remain in school.
- People affected by podoconiosis receiving treatment, counselling and protective footwear.
- People with terminal or incurable conditions receiving home-based palliative care.
- Families affected by drought receiving animal feed to protect their livestock and livelihoods.
- Displaced and disaster-affected communities receiving food, healthcare and recovery assistance.
During 2024–2025, Ethiopiaid reported that 2,158 children and adults were fitted with mobility aids, 660 children with disabilities and their siblings received educational support, and 30 teachers were trained in inclusive education.
The organization also reported that 2,650 girls received reusable period packs and school support, 119 students attended university through sponsored funding and 118 students received vocational training and employment assistance.
These results reflect Ethiopiaid’s approach of funding specialized Ethiopian organizations rather than directly delivering programmes through an international operational structure.
Conclusion
Ethiopiaid is an international development and grant-making charity with more than three decades of experience supporting locally led solutions in Ethiopia. Its work addresses poverty, maternal healthcare, gender inequality, education, disability, humanitarian emergencies and community welfare.
By raising funds and investing in trusted Ethiopian organizations, Ethiopiaid helps ensure that decisions and project delivery remain close to the communities being supported. Its partnership model, safeguarding requirements, due-diligence processes and impact monitoring contribute to accountable and sustainable development.
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