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 – but he also saw passion, knowledge, and ambition.
Sir Alec knew that it would take something simple to make a huge difference to the lives of many people. Starting in October 1989 with an investment of £1m, he created a platform for years of change.
Ethiopiaid has grown without losing sight of its relatively humble beginnings. Sir Alec’s initial investment has since grown into more than £37m in partner grants over 30 successful years.
Our approach is simple and continues to be effective. We raise funds for and make grants to local Ethiopian partners to achieve lasting change and improve the lives of the country’s poorest and most vulnerable communities. 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 communities.
Sir Alec continues to be closely involved in Ethiopiaid and three members of the Reed family currently serve on the board of trustees.
In 2011, Sir Alec received a knighthood for his services to charity
Our vision – an Ethiopia in which every person has access to quality education, healthcare and a life of dignity.
Our mission – breaking the cycle of poverty by enabling the poorest and most vulnerable and their communities to live with dignity, to build resilience and achieve real and sustainable solutions to the challenges they face.
We focus on the needs of vulnerable Ethiopians at grass roots level. This hinges on sustained relationships with trusted Ethiopian partners. Our partners know the context and solutions; we listen and provide appropriate support. Growth and development are tracked in local communities using robust monitoring and evaluation. Partnerships continue as long as there’s a clear need and opportunities to make a lasting impact.
Our offices in the UK, Ireland, Canada and Australia are run by small teams of specialised fundraising and grant making development professionals. We share expertise in communications, project data and impact reporting. Pooling resources across the organisation helps us increase our effectiveness at local level. Together we strive to provide excellent service, both to our partners and our supporters and donors.
Our work would not be possible without our donors – they are central to everything we do. We continue investing in opportunities to provide donors with tailored experiences. Ethiopiaid is committed to meeting the needs and preferences of individuals, groups, grant makers or institutional funders. We connect donors with causes they care about, and maximise the impact of their giving in a way that’s transparent, responsive and accountable.
Chief Executive Officer
Fundraising Manager
Finance Manager
Partnerships Manager
Senior Fundraising and Compliance Officer
Partnerships Assistant
Fundraising Administrator
The Chair of Ethiopiaid UK, Alexandra also sits on the boards of our sister charities Ethiopiaid Australia, Canada and Ireland. She is also a trustee of the Reed Foundation. Her father, Sir Alec Reed CBE, founded Ethiopiaid.
Alex has twenty years of experience in senior marketing roles including seven years on the board of Reed Learning.
Edith is Director of Advancement for Nottingham University and has more than twenty years of working in development under her belt.
Nicola is an artist and teaches in schools and colleges in London. She is also the daughter in law of our founder.
Michael is an experienced finance and HR professional with a passion for the developing world. He previously worked as Ethiopiaid’s manager in the early 1990’s.
Sally has been Group Property Solicitor to the Reed family of companies for twenty years.
Helen has over thirty years of experience in the government and non- profit sector, working across Africa, Europe and Asia.
Tessa is a digital marketing professional. She is the granddaughter of our founder.
With your donation, our local partners can restore a vulnerable Ethiopian’s dignity and help them rewrite their story.
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With your donation, our local partners can restore a vulnerable Ethiopian’s dignity and help them rewrite their story.
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Registered Charity no. 802353 (England and Wales); Company Limited by Guarantee Reg. no. 2435882 (England and Wales)