ABOUT US
Sarah's Kitchen and Mary's Home
Sarah's Kitchen, founded in 2021, began with a mission to feed the hungry street children of Dire Dawa, Ethiopia. Initially serving just 20 children, we now provide three meals a day, along with clothing and medical care, to 280 kids. As we look to expand further, we are working to establish a permanent home for the children — Mary's Home. Initially, the home will be designed to house 20 children, with plans to expand to accommodate up to 300 orphans. In addition to offering shelter and care, we aim to build a fully operational school. With these next steps, we hope to create a sustainable, loving environment where these children can look toward a brighter future.
Supporting Mary's Home
We would be deeply grateful for your donation to support our ongoing efforts in Dire Dawa as we work toward becoming self-sustainable. While we are making progress, we still need your help. We are currently seeking contributions in the areas of medicine, shelter, education, and food. Our ultimate goal is to establish a fully operational facility, and we ask for your support in any way you can—whether through donations, spreading awareness, or offering your time and efforts.
Facilities at Mary's Home
Your support for Mary's Home plays an essential role in covering vital expenses such as rental payments, utility bills, and staff salaries. These funds are critical to maintaining a safe, stable environment for the 20 children in our care. With your generosity, we can continue to provide them with basic necessities like clean water, electricity, and shelter, as well as a loving, nurturing atmosphere that encourages their growth and well-being.
Scholarship Fund
The Mary’s Home Scholarship Fund offers a powerful way to shape a child’s future. Your contribution helps provide children from our orphanage and kitchen with the school supplies and tuition they need to attend school. This fund covers the cost of sending a child to either a public or private school for an entire academic year, giving them the tools to succeed and thrive.
Hygiene Essentials
By helping us stock items like soap, disinfectant, clothing, feminine products, toothbrushes, and first aid kits, you ensure that the children can live in a clean environment and stay protected from illness and infection. Improved hygiene not only protects them from disease but also supports their upward mobility, providing them with the foundation they needs to succeed in school and life.
Future Projects
Our upcoming projects include building a dedicated school to provide education for street children, ensuring they have the tools to break the cycle of poverty. We’re also focused on expanding medical care services to meet the health needs of the children, ensuring they grow strong and healthy. These projects are just the beginning, and with your support, we can continue to transform lives and build a brighter future for the children of Dire Dawa.
Orphanage Expansion
We plan to develop a fully integrated campus on a single plot of land, featuring a K-12 school, trade school, medical clinic with pharmacy, micro-lending office, and dorms for homeless children. A well-equipped playground will also be included to support the children's holistic development.
The campus will be self-sustaining, with a farm to supply Sarah's Kitchen and milling equipment to process farm products and local goods into marketable items, such as flour, teff, and cornmeal.
Trade School Development
A key pillar of our vision is the trade school, designed to equip students with hands-on vocational skills. This institution will offer programs in carpentry, masonry, electrical work, plumbing, tailoring, and looming. By providing these essential skills, we aim to ensure that students not only become self-sufficient but also contribute meaningfully to their communities. These trades will empower graduates to secure employment, start businesses, and drive local economic growth.
Future Expansion and Research University
Once the initial phase is complete, we will expand onto an adjacent property to establish a top-tier research university. This university will be a leader in Africa, driving research and innovation in homegrown, cost-effective, and scalable solutions to the challenges faced by students and their families. Through this initiative, we seek to cultivate an environment where students become pioneers in solving real-world problems, fostering long-term development and progress in Ethiopia and beyond.
Environmental Restoration and Sustainability
To complement our educational and vocational goals, we will seek a government land grant to combat desertification through reforestation and regenerative agriculture. This initiative will focus on restoring the Rift Valley and the borders with Somalia and Sudan, reviving Ethiopia’s once-thriving oasis with clean water, rich biodiversity, and healthy soils.
MARY'S HOME
Where do your donations go?
At Mary’s Home, transparency is at the heart of everything we do. We are dedicated to ensuring that every donation you make is used exactly as intended.
Explore our detailed donation breakdowns to see how your contributions are making a direct impact on the lives of children in Dire Dawa.
Our budget is updated every 6 months to reflect the growing needs of our organization. This budget breaks down our planned expenditures between January and June of 2025. The numbers provided are subject to change due to fluctuations in exchange rates and other economic factors.
Any excess amount donated to our recurring funds budget will be carried forward into the following quarters. Any excess amount donated to our one-time expenditure funds will be redistributed to another function of the organization.
Meet Our Team
Sarah's Kitchen and Mary's Home Staff Members
Rezene Berhe
Bill Teater
Lily Arasaratnam
Cinque Mason
Adam Pena