Bring Light to Hidi Village

Hello everyone,

I am a Dyer Fellow student at Lafayette College, majoring in Sociology and Anthropology and minoring in Spanish. In addition to my academic pursuits, I am working through the Dyer Center to establish a non-profit to make a meaningful and lasting impact in Hidi, Ethiopia, the village where I was born. I am reaching out to ask for your support in bringing a sustainable energy solution to this community. The ultimate goal is to buy, deliver and install solar panels in each of the house holds in Hidi village.

You may be curious about Hidi Village and what life is like there. Let me tell you. Hidi is nestled in the Amhara Region of Ethiopia, a village comprising 250 homes and filled with people who are hopeful and optimistic about the future.

The community is hardworking and industrious, dedicated to improving their lives and surroundings. Life in Hidi is challenging as residents depend on subsistence farming of wheat, coffee, and root crops for survival, lacking essential amenities such as electricity, running water, and educational resources. Daily tasks, such as fetching water from the bond or walking long distances to gather sticks, as well as washing everything by hand, are laborious and demanding.

Growing up in Hidi, my family endured poverty and struggled to make ends meet. When I was seven, my mother made the agonizing decision to give me up for adoption in the US, hoping for a better life for me. My mother’s decision brought me unmeasurable pain and struggle as I’ve had to live with multiple families, often in upsetting conditions, and with no hope to have contact with my family of birth for over a decade. Still, despite the loneliness, uncertainty, and sadness that I had to endure, I have received tremendous blessings living in the United States. I’ve had access to top flight education, healthcare, and abundant amounts of resources, and I’ve had the opportunity to improve my own life and future prospects. I now feel the burning responsibility to contribute to the very community that molded me as a young child.

After years of searching for my family and them for me, we were finally reunited in the summer of 2023, when I traveled to Hidi. As I prepared for this journey, I wished to bring a gift with me that reflected my bursting anticipation and was worthy of my mother’s sacrifice — but also within my power. I spent 3 months collecting 575 backpacks and drawstring bags, one for each student at Hidi Primary School. I was thankful for every person who contributed to make my goal possible.

During my visit, I witnessed the stark reality of families engulfed in darkness after sunset — children unable to read or play after sundown and adults unable to conduct even the most basic household chores. My biological mother was able to have access to light because my older sister, who worked as a housemaid in Saudi Arabia from the age of 14 to 27 years old was able to save and buy a solar panel, thereby granting this atypical luxury to our family. However, other families in our village were not as fortunate and barely had enough to feed their families as subsistence farmers. Night after night, I witnessed little boys and girls simply sitting in the dark, talking. I could not shake off the thought of how different life would be if they at least had access to light.

Moved by this experience, I asked the Hidi School administrator to interview local leaders in Hidi, and they confirmed how transformative solar panels would be to the village. I began to imagine homes illuminated, children able to study after dark, families gathering under solar-powered lights and working on important daily tasks. However, this vision is too vast for me to achieve alone, and I hope that you will be moved to join me in my challenging quest.

I've set the ambitious goal to raise $22,500 to bring light to every home in Hidi village. A donation of $90 can provide each home with a solar panel, illuminating the lives of all 250 families in our community. Even a contribution of $5 can make a significant difference, and I plead with you to inspire 17 others to join you in donating $5, which together will light up one family’s home.

Your contribution won't just bring light to Hidi Village; it will empower its residents and brighten their future. Please consider making a donation of any amount. Your generosity will demonstrate the profound impact that collective acts of kindness can have, paving the way for real, tangible change. Together, let's illuminate Hidi Village and foster brighter futures for its residents

Six solar panels installed.

Even today, this is how people farm in Hidi. Even little boys as young as 7, 8 or 9 go out there and farm, just like the boy you see in the picture.

These are the children of Hidi Village. After providing the 575 backpacks from the amazing souls who donated, I spent time with them. Witnessing their joy after receiving a backpack reminded me of the importance of giving back to the community that shaped me.

In this picture are my biological mom and my aunt. The two guys are our neighbors. They are crushing peppers for a special spice called Berbere. Living without modern technology is not easy for the Hidi Community, and they desire change.

am sharing this picture with you because it holds deep meaning for me. Right after high school, I returned home, thanks to the loving people in my life who made a way for me, even those who weren't directly involved. Despite facing setbacks and pain, I am happy to have graduated high school. Moving from home to home was challenging.

When I returned home with the 575 bags, I also brought my cap and gown. One reason was to fulfill my biological parents' dream of seeing me graduate. Another was to show the students at Hidi Primary School that I was once like them, attending the same school. While living in Hidi, I felt trapped, thinking I would always be confined to village life, but God had other plans.

I wanted the students to realize that they are not so different from me and that they, too, can graduate from high school and attend college, as I am doing now. I didn't just want to speak these words to them; I wanted them to understand that I firsthand experienced their situation and understood how lack of resources could hinder their potential.

When I placed my cap on each student, it was a reminder and a promise from me that I would not forget the Hidi Community. It was a pledge that Hidi students would receive every opportunity I have here in the United States. While it might not happen immediately, I wanted to assure them that serving the Hidi Village is not only God's will for my life but also deeply embedded in my heart.

I hope you can see how the lack of opportunities in places like Hidi Village persists, forcing some to repeat the cycle they were born into. I hope this inspires people to radiate love to Hidi while inspiring change.

When I was seven years old and still in Ethiopia, this was the type of home I lived in. It was not comfortable and barely fit my family of three and my biological parents. There are still many homes like this in Hidi and its surrounding area.