Ellenore's Note

We started Open Hearts Big Dreams to “Empower Kids to Transform Their Future.” Our focus is on Ethiopia, K-12, and education however, we wanted to be different from many NGOs and run like a business. This is what we do and how we do it! We design to scale and include measures of success. We look for game changers to close important gaps like the lack of enough early reader books. We collaborate with organizations who build local capacity like Ethiopia Reads, Project Ethiopia, WEEMA, Lebawi, Seeds of Africa and MMRTI. We share stories of impact to show what is possible and to inspire involvement and collaboration.

Our first big project is Ready Set Go Books designed to increase the literacy rate in Ethiopia through creating 200 unique early reader books in the top three languages, Amharic, Tigrinya, and Afaan Oromo in the next 3-5 years. We are both proud and excited to have published 29 books on Amazon.com so far. Ethiopia Reads received the Ministry of Education’s sign off on our Amharic books and will be printing and distributing 50k Amharic books in the coming months. We are also working on 2 innovative incubator programs including the OHBD funded Lebawi Girls 16-week Coding Camp, which just kicked off, and the Transition Scholarship program with Project Ethiopia.

Ready Set Go Books Is Going!

Since joining Open Hearts Big Dreams, the Ready Set Go Books project led by Jane Kurtz has become the heart of our efforts to increase literacy rate. What began as a way to bring books to a small town in southern Ethiopia, has blossomed where Open Hearts Big Dreams is acting as a publisher providing all funds, strategic direction, marketing, and production support to the creative efforts led by Jane Kurtz as well as funding and direction for the printing and distribution in Ethiopia through Ethiopia Reads which gave the project its start. We have big, bold goals to publish 200 unique titles in at least the top three Ethiopian languages in the next 3-5 years and we are on track to meet it. We are also using the Diaspora’s desire to stay connected to culture and language as a way to make this project self-sustaining over time. Each book purchased in NA and EU funds 3-7 books printed in Ethiopia. Getting books in the hands of kids around the world and especially in Ethiopia is our aim. Please scroll through the link below and see what books we have brought to life and made available for you!

Check Our New RSG Books Out On Amazon!

Not Bad for Beginners!

We had a successful test FUNDrive with Value Village during the month of July. Our goal was to test and raise $1000 and finished with having raised $257 from Value Village, another $200 from sales of items donated separately, and received $1000+ of donations we can use in the Gala auction or sell on Amazon/eBay. We received very positive Donor feedback on this event and will do it again next year. Our plan is to repeat the FUNDrive in spring and start collecting donations now. Donated items of interest will be primarily clothing and shoes with a target goal of filling 135, 33-gallon bags which will bring in $1000 in raised funds. Other separate higher value items are desired as well and can be used to sell on Amazon or eBay ‘or’ best items in the auction to raise maximum funds.

OHBD says... "Your Support Counts!"

OHBD is Launching A New Chapter in Washington, DC!

Open Hearts Big Dreams Fund is excited to announce the launching of our Washington, DC Chapter, August 18 at this year's "Empower Habesha Community Conference" hosted at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in DC. Our goal for this expansion is to increase awareness and connect with organizations with complimentary missions. Ideally we would like to gain more leaders, supporters, and collaborators that will engage in our RSG Book efforts as well as advocate for increased literacy in Ethiopia and beyond. We know the DC Metro area is a huge opportunity for us, so we are hoping this is a good first step to unlocking that.

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