History

In October 2000, a group of engineering students in Ethiopia who wanted to help the street children around their university—Bahir Dar University — established an organization called ReDefining Life or RDL-Ethiopia. These students provided stationery materials, school uniform and tutoring advice to nine kids once they enrolled them into the local public school. However, it was difficult for the kids to attend school regularly while living on the streets. The following year RDL-Ethiopia asked and was granted a one-room government house for the kids. They further negotiated with the Bahir Dar University administration to provide those nine children with food three times a day after all the university students have been fed during the fiscal school year. (Universities in Ethiopia provide food & dormitory for all students free). Furthermore, when the summer months came when the nine kids were out of school and weren’t being provided food by the university, RDL-Ethiopia took measures to ensure that the children were kept busy and fed.

The kids lived, studied and did everything in this one room house. Here’s a picture of the house:

Soon after RDL-USA was formed mainly to assist RDL-Ethiopia in terms of fund raising, and RDL future development projects. The first task was improving the current one room house, namely fixing the roofing, walls, and door which were all significantly deteriorated. New household materials were purchased i.e. beds, mattresses, desk, clothing etc. In addition, RDL-USA recently sent a physiologist —who later became a member— to evaluate the mental state of the children. She will be providing us with complete reports on her findings after a second visit in November.

However, taking care of nine kids or slightly improving the current house won't help ReDefine the life of these kids or the numerous kids who mind themselves in the street. This is why we want to build the ReDefine Life Center. The Center will accommodate School, Dormitory, and Clinic for the children. We plan to pick up a large number of children off the streets and give them the care and support they need to become productive members of society.

How we came to be