About Us:
VIDEO
This video is the best illustration of who we are as an organization and our impact in Ethiopia. It summarizes some of our key projects in the N.Shewa region in 2014 and the impact on the local community.
The basis for the creation of Dir Biyabir is the recognition that there are thousands of individuals who would like to contribute to positive change in the world. Due to the overwhelming nature of the problems of our age, and lack of direct access to those who are tackling these problems, this type of good will largely remains unrealized while the problems get worse from year to year. The goal of Dir Biyabir is to create positive change and to realize this strength in numbers by creating a forum to mobilize the resources of those who want to help and to connect them directly to those who need their help.
The idea that we can get organized in a way that each of us can pitch in and align our collective efforts to drive significant change in the world is hugely empowering, exciting and energizing!
WHAT MAKES US DIFFERENT
What makes Dir Biyabir different from a lot of organizations are:
- Impact: We break the cycle of dependence. All our activities are focused around supporting high-impact, sustainable projects on the ground in Ethiopia in under-served communities. These projects are either requested by the local communities based on their needs (e.g reforestation, bee-keeping, irrigation based horticulture, support for local schools) or the projects are proposed to the community and they agree they would be useful (e.g. poultry project for school girls). We fund sustainable projects that break dependence on hand-outs by investing in people: providing access to education, developing their skills and providing them starting capital to lift themselves out of extreme poverty.
- Accountability: 100% of donations go directly to projects: The executive team covers all of Dir Biyabir's operational expenses so that we can guarantee that 100% of membership fees and donations are used for projects only. The Dir Biyabir team follows up on each funded project to ensure stated goals are achieved. Pictures and documentation are available for funded projects. We have posted an Annual Report summarizing our projects and financial statement for every year of our existence as a non-profit.
- Efficiency: We have very low overhead. We have no office space or paid staff. We accomplish this by ensuring that all positions in Dir Biyabir are voluntary and uncompensated, and also by leveraging internet technology to run a virtual organization.
- Transparency: We provide detailed financial summary in our annual reports. All revenue and expenses are accurately recorded in detail and communicated in our annual reports.
- Empowering Individuals: We provide a reliable platform for individuals such as yourselves to easily contribute to tangible positive change in Ethiopia that transforms people’s lives. At the same time we empower hard-working and resourceful individuals and communities in Ethiopia to access the education, technology, and capital that can transform their lives.
OUR FIRST PARTNERSHIP
Dir Biyabir’s first partnership in Ethiopia is with ADHENO Integrated Rural Development Association, a registered non-profit in Ethiopia. This small but highly effective non-profit was founded by Dr Fisseha Haile-Meskal in 2003, and was selected as out partner because:
- Their focus is on very poor rural communities in Ethiopia
- They invest in people, their focus is on self-help and long-term sustainable development
- They demonstrate an ability to execute creative and highly effective projects at very low costs
- Their credibility with the target communities is high and they are actively engaged with the local populations in all projects
- Their overhead is very low
- They demonstrate an ability to independently raise funds from various organizations including All We Can, SIDA (Swedish International Development Agency), the Japanese Embassy, Christian Relief, etc.
