The United Nations produces a yearly report called the Human Development Index for 177 countries around the world.   The UN describes this report in the following way:   "The HDI provides a composite measure of three dimensions of human development: living a long and healthy life (measured by life expectancy), being educated (measured by adult literacy and enrollment at the primary, secondary and tertiary level) and having a decent standard of living (measured by purchasing power parity, PPP, income)."  While this report doesn't cover every area of a country's development, it "does provide is a broadened prism for viewing human progress and the complex relationship between income and well-being."  

The United States ranks as number 12 and Ethiopia ranks as 169 of 177 countries. With that said, there is no question that Ethiopia has needs greater than most any country in the world and that we in the United States have the ability to help with those needs more so than the citizens of most any country in the world.  

We, Dereje & Mindi Aleme, the founders of Lighting the Ethiopian Path, are blessed to have the perspectives of both countries when viewing these overwhelming needs.    Dereje Aleme was born in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia with a population of over 4 million.   Dereje later lived and worked in several Africa countries before moving to Kampala, Uganda.   Mindi Aleme was born in a small town in Colorado and lived in several American states before moving to Kampala, Uganda following college.  

While working with American missionaries at a Christian non-profit educational resource center, we met and became engaged.   We now live and work in Los Angeles, California while preparing to move back to Ethiopia to run the school that we've been planning for since we met in Uganda.   Our faith prompts us to spend our lives in service of the most vulnerable populations and our joined backgrounds provide us with a realistic view of the needs and resources available to bring these plans to fruition.

This deep connection of our two cultures allowed us to bring together friends from both countries with similar interests and varied professional skills for a survey trip to work out the details of our plans in 2007.    Our two month survey trip was not nearly as long as we would've liked, but we learned much.   Dereje guided our group through historical sites, through mountain highlands and remote villages, and through the regions of several tribes.   Shocked by the sheer beauty of the surroundings and humbled by the kindness of Ethiopians across the country, our group fell in love with this place.   Our friends joining us for this trip represented a wealth of knowledge that we hope to draw from as the dreams of the school come to fruition.  

With backgrounds in education, construction, non-profit administration, experience with homeless populations, and the founding of other African schools, our group of visitors was a blessing to have along.   We are thankful for their time, support, and continued encouragement.   And we are especially thankful for the resources seen in the rich culture of Ethiopians, the land itself, and the Ethiopian willingness to do what it takes to make life better for the next generation.