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It started with the concept that every child, regardless of their age, deserves a chance to thrive and that learning does not begin in school but right from conception. This grew into a partnership between the Ethiopian government and PATH, a global nonprofit organization funded by the Bainum Family Foundation. The project has touched the lives of families across Ethiopia and ignited a spark of hope for a brighter tomorrow.
PATH joined forces with the Federal Ministry of Health, the Addis Ababa City Administration Health Bureau, and other partners on a mission that broke the mold. This government-led partnership — Yenege Tesfa (or “tomorrowʼs hope” in Amharic) — helped recognize the unmet need to support childrenʼs holistic development. This initiative was not just about early childhood learning and education; it enabled parents, caregivers, and communities to support their children to reach their full potential in life.
With funding from our Family Philanthropy Initiativeʼs Global Education Fund, PATH implemented a three-and-a-half-year endeavor within Yenege Tesfa called Brueh Tesfa (“bright hope” in Amharic) that sought to support the learning needs of children ages 0 to 3 years through the health sector — a crucial period when human brain development is at its most rapid. In the first year, Brueh Tesfa started as a pilot in 10 health facilities in Addis Ababa. The objective was clear: Empower parents and caregivers with the tools to nurture and grow young minds. PATH served as the Federal Ministry of Healthʼs technical assistance partner to train and mentor health care providers to be able to identify developmental delays and coach parents on play, communication, and learning activities they can do at home to promote their childrenʼs development. These interventions were integrated into routine health services already being delivered by these providers.
The impact of Brueh Tesfa rippled far beyond the initial pilot phase. By leveraging the larger Yenege Tesfa platform, PATH used lessons learned from the pilot to scale up provision of these services across all of Addis Ababa. PATH supported government-led trainings for more than 3,200 health care providers, allowing them to provide developmental monitoring and counseling services in all 101 health centers and all seven hospitals of Addis Ababa. In the project culmination year, PATH worked with regional health bureaus to introduce such services to health facilities in five additional regions. The initiative reached over 66,000 parents and caregivers, touching the lives of more than 132,000 children.
This was not merely a project; it was a movement, a testament to the spirit of collaboration, a celebration of government ownership, and belief in every childʼs potential. It was about building a legacy of empowerment and learning, one that would echo through generations, shaping the future of Ethiopia.
The foundationʼs total investment in the program was $625,000, but its impact cannot be measured in mere numbers. The program has sown the seeds of change, nurturing Ethiopiaʼs littlest learners and empowering them to dream, learn, and thrive — embodying the very spirit of Brueh Tesfa.