How we are different
Ethiopiaid works with Ethiopians to help transform their lives. With your support we work for an Ethiopia without poverty, in which every person enjoys the right to quality education, healthcare and a life of dignity.
We are experienced
We have been working with Ethiopian people for 15 years. We often see the same wonderful faces year after year. Such loyalty and experience is invaluable and means that every Euro that you give us is used as effectively as it can be.
We are efficient
We form partnerships with grassroots organisations known for their expertise and ambition and we fund their programmes. We share our office space with another company, who generously cover the cost. We have a small team of 2 that manages all of the processes that larger charities do – our campaigns, our partners, our finances and our administration. We only spend what we need to on this last part whilst the rest goes where it is most needed: our Ethiopian partners.
We are focused
We know our strengths and our limitations. We do not promise to change the world, or even all of Ethiopia. What we do know – from firsthand experience – is that our partners make the biggest difference in their local community.
Importantly, we have no staff or offices in Ethiopia. We send your donations directly to Ethiopia so that they can be spent as soon as they’re needed. We make sure that suitable amounts are sent at the right times and our partners do the rest.
Our aims and goals
Our vision is an Ethiopia free from poverty, in which every person has access to quality education, healthcare and a life of dignity.
Our mission is partnering with local organisations to help them unlock their potential and prevent poverty in Ethiopia in a realistic and achievable way.
We aim to:
- Increase access to quality maternal health
- Change attitudes to the practice of harmful traditions and ensure the welfare and safety of vulnerable girls and women
- Engage with those suffering from disabilities to ensure they too become part of their own communities
- Promote quality education for all, with a focus on those excluded through disability, poverty, or the death of parents and loved ones
- Treat preventable yet destructive diseases such as Noma by supporting the identification and treatment of patients
Your donations
How your donations are used
Ethiopiaid relies on the generosity of our fantastic supporters. We aim to treat all our supporters with respect and honesty. As such we are committed to upholding the Statement of Guiding Principles for Fundraising as set out by the Irish Charities Tax Reform Group. These are a set of guidelines that were developed after extensive consultation with industry experts and stakeholders including charities, non-profit organisations, legal and financial advisors, donors and academics.
We have developed a Donor Charter that outlines what you can expect from us when you are a donor or thinking about supporting us. It is available here (.pdf).
We are focused on making your donation go as far as possible. As such we have a small team of 2 working from a donated office space. You can learn more about our finances in the Governance section.
Ethiopiaid has also signed up to the Dóchas Code of Conduct on Images and Messages in order to ensure that we represent our beneficiaries in a fair and accurate way. You can read more about the code here.
Finance
Ethiopiaid is a registered charity in Ireland. Our CHY number is 13305, and our charity number with the new Charity Regulatory Authority is 20041069. Our registered company number is 343187.
Ethiopiaid's financial accounts are independently audited to ensure their accuracy and maintain transparency. Our auditors are Whiteside Cullinan of South Frederick Street, Dublin 2.
You can view copies of our annual accounts here (.pdf): 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011
Feedback
If you have any questions about Ethiopiaid, how we handle your donations or if you have a complaint about our fundraising, then you can contact us at hello@ethiopiaid.ie.
Any queries will be handled in accordance with our complaints and feedback policy, a copy of which is available here (.pdf).
Our history
In the autumn of 1987, Sir Alec Reed returned from his first visit to Ethiopia. He saw what many people might expect – widespread hardship, suffering and poverty. He also saw passion, knowledge and ambition.
Ethiopiaid was founded in the UK in 1989. Sir Alec Reed knew that it could take something simple to make a huge difference to the lives of many people. Starting with an investment of £1m, he created a platform for years of change. Ethiopiaid has grown without losing sight of its relatively humble beginnings. Using a small number of hardworking staff and a donated office space, this £1m has grown into more than £30m in partner donations over 26 successful years.
In 2002 we opened Ethiopiaid in Ireland. From simple beginnings, focusing on connecting Irish people with our Ethiopian partners, we have grown to become an independent, sustainable organisation with our own voluntary board of directors and partners in Ethiopia.
We are still connected to the larger Ethiopiaid family in the UK, Australia and Canada through a shared belief in working with Ethiopians to help them achieve the potential that so inspired Sir Alec Reed in 1987.
Our people
Ethiopiaid's Board of Trustees consists of experienced volunteers with a wealth of knowledge and skills from a variety of professions. This enables the Board to oversee the effective running of the organisation.
Through regular communication and quarterly meetings, the Board of Trustees works with the Executive Director to ensure that the charity's core aims and objectives are achieved. We have provided a breakdown of our Board Members below:
Our Board
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Michael Keegan, Director (Chairperson)
Michael Keegan has been Chairperson of Ethiopiaid since 2014, having joined the Board in 2013. He is the CEO of CUSOP, having held high ranking positions in banking and finance in both Ireland and Europe.
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Alexandra Chapman, Director
Alexandra is Chair of Ethiopiaid UK and also sits on the boards of Ethiopiaid Canada, Australia and Ireland. She is a trustee of The Reed Foundation which has given over £20 million to charitable causes and supports theBigGive.org.uk - an innovative fundraising website that promotes intelligent philanthropy. She is also a trustee of The Holburne Museum and a member of their fundraising committee.
Her other passion is documentary filmmaking. She has worked as a Director and Producer for the BBC and Century Films and as the Documentary Curator for the Bath Film Festival. She has a MA (Cantab) in Social Anthropology and a MA in Visual Anthropology with distinction from The Granada Centre, Manchester University.
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Lydia McCormack, Director (Secretary)
Lydia joined the Ethiopiaid board in 2015. She is a Senior Associate solicitor with one of the largest legal firms in Ireland. She currently acts as the Ethiopiaid company secretary.
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David Murphy, Director
David joined the board of Trustees in 2013 having previously supported some of our initiatives within Ethiopia involving capacity building within our partners. David has a first-hand view on the excellent and important work our partners carry out, visiting Ethiopia regularly.
He is a commercial executive with one of the world's largest technology and consultancy businesses with over 10 years of experience. David currently supports transformation programmes for global clients and the development of business across Africa, including Ethiopia. David has a first class honours degree in Business and Law and experience of supporting large outsourced technology, consultancy, professional service, and public service engagements spanning globally.
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Philip O'Dwyer, Director
Philip joined the Ethiopiaid board in 2013. He has extensive experience in the private sector with an interest in private sector amelioration of poverty. He lived and worked in Ethiopia 2009-2012 and regularly visits the country.
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Harriet Andrews, Director
Harriet joined us in March 2016, having recently returned from spending a number of years living in Ethiopia with her husband Martin, who was the CEO of the Hamlin Fistula Hospital, and with whom she has three adopted Ethiopian born children. Harriet is a trained Solicitor and holds an MSc in European Integration as well as an MSc in Educational Guidance and Counselling. Her working career has included periods in The Law Society of Ireland as Education Officer, and with Cooperation Ireland, as Strategic Planning and Development Manager. She currently works as Head of the Careers Service in Dundalk Institute of Technology.
She has been involved with the work of non-profits and NGOs for the last 28 years, volunteering with charities such as DkIT African Aid project, the Samaritans and the Catholic Bishops Commission for Justice, Peace and Human Rights.
She says she feels privileged to have been involved in a small way in the cause to eliminate obstetric fistula in Ethiopia while living and volunteering at the hospital and midwifery college. She has a simple but deep desire to continue to play a meaningful role in encouraging and promoting justice, mutual respect and understanding in a few sustainable development projects.
Our Team
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Eufemia Solinas, Executive Director
Eufemia joined Ethiopiaid Ireland in February 2017 as Executive Director. Her experience within the Irish not for profit sector spans across nine years, during which she gained extensive fundraising, development, communications and event management experience. She has a BA in International Relations from DCU, holds a Diploma in Fundraising Management and a number of professional fundraising and event management certificates.
As well as being responsible for making sure that Ethiopiaid runs smoothly, Eufemia enjoys engaging with individuals, groups and partners (over a good cup of coffee!) to talk about the value of a collaborative approach in development and cooperation: empowering people to find long-term sustainable solutions by themselves and for themselves. She passionately believes we can all be part of the change we want to see.
In the words of Nelson Mandela: “Overcoming poverty is not a task of charity, it is an act of justice. Like Slavery and Apartheid, poverty is not natural. It is man-made and it can be overcome and eradicated by the actions of human beings. Sometimes it falls on a generation to be great. You can be that great generation.”
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Samantha Andrades, Fundraising and Communication Administrator
Samantha holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications, Media and Advertising. During her college studies, she discovered how passionate she was about helping others. Samantha has more than three years of experience working with non-profit organizations from big corporations such as Telefonica Movistar to international associations such as Goodwill Industries.
Samantha is still helping people with disabilities in her native Venezuela, and also in Ireland, she is part of a volunteering program with Special Olympics Ireland and Society of St. Vincent de Paul Ireland.
Samantha joined the Ethiopiaid family in July 2017 as a Fundraising & Communications Administrator. She is leading our communications strategies to help us reach our fundraising goals.
Vacancies
***There Are No Current Vacancies***
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