According to the 2016 Human Development Index, 
determined by the United Nations, Ethiopia ranks
174 out of 188 countries 
on the overall quality of human life.
Of children in rural areas, 
36% are out of school. (UNDP)
2.6 is the mean number of 
years completed in school. ​(UNDP)
75.3% of the working poor live 
on less than $3.10 a day. (UNDP)
49% of adults are
​illiterate (UNDP)
The neonatal mortality rate in Ethiopia  is  41.4/1000 births — one of the highest in the world — with preventable disease being a significant contributor to infant and neonatal death. (UNDP) 

Three Roots International is Responding 

Our work with vulnerable communities over the past 10 years has firmly formed our understanding of this reality: quality education, access to accurate  information  and direct physical health care, and the opportunity to secure income and economic stability, are critical factors in sustaining life outside of poverty. By centering our project interventions on these three foci, Three Roots hopes to increase quality of life, and restore agency, hope, and power to families in the community. Our partnership with the local church and community will center on a participatory approach, as we “co-learn” with the community, working to identify and utilize their own assets and leadership abilities.  

All members of the community, in the defined project area, will benefit from the work of Three Roots. We are committed to helping all members of community, and no one is excluded from the benefits of our projects.

Community Selection Process

Picture
Current operations are focused in an area about two hours outside of Addis Ababa. The following are critical factors in determine where 
Three Roots focuses effort:
  • Average income of community members, correlated to poverty level
  • Access to education and health
  • Quality of current education and health care services
  • Presence and strength of an organized local church
  • Vulnerability levels of children
  • Size of orphan population in the community
  • Additional factors of vulnerability 
As we look at communities to serve in the future, we will consider whether a community is receiving support from other organizations, as that level of support may be sufficient to meet the community’s needs, without the help of Three Roots. We will also consider the community’s level of access to education and health care, and the quality levels of existing education and health care. The communities also need to demonstrate openness to leading and participating in their own development.