On Friday, March 6, more than 200 people filled a room to celebrate ten years of Addis Jemari — and together, they raised more than $169,000 for the families and girls we serve in Addis Ababa.
That number is significant. But it is not the whole story.
A Decade of Families Staying Together
When Cindy Douglass and Suzanne Ward first traveled to Ethiopia, they encountered a crisis rooted not in orphanhood, but in poverty. Parents were making impossible choices. Families were being separated. Children were aging out of orphanages with nowhere to go.
What began as a conviction became a model. And that model has now been working for ten years.
Through AJ Home and the Family Empowerment Program, we have come alongside girls who needed a family, and families who needed a path forward. We have provided tutoring, training, counseling, and economic tools — not as charity, but as a foundation for lasting self-reliance.
Friday night was a chance to reflect on all of it.
What the Room Made Possible
The Night of New Beginnings 10th Anniversary Gala was made possible by a community of people who showed up in every sense of the word:
- Guests who bought tickets and filled the room
- Sponsors whose generosity extended the reach of every dollar raised
- Silent and live auction bidders who pushed the total higher
- Board members, staff, volunteers, and Teen Board members who made the evening run
- Supporters who have walked alongside AJ for one year, five years, or all ten
The $169,000 raised that night will fuel the next chapter of this work.
Access Is the Next Step
During the evening, we shared a vision for the next ten years — and the work has already begun.
Right now, our 12-passenger van is carrying the weight of an entire program:
- 85 students to weekday tutoring sessions
- 118 students each weekend for learning and hygiene programming
- 50 mothers to weekly training sessions
It runs multiple routes every day. We have already had to contract an additional vehicle just to keep up.
We do not have a growth problem. We have an access problem.
Transportation is often the first step into tutoring, training, and belonging. To meet the need, we are working to purchase a 25–30 passenger minibus — so more children and mothers can reach the programs waiting for them.
You Can Be Part of What Comes Next
If you were in the room Friday night, thank you. If you were not, you can still be part of this next step.
Ten years of new beginnings. The next ten start now.