Raey Hiwot: Young women's education in rural Ethiopia

Raey Hiwot, meaning “vision for life”, is a volunteer-run scholarship program that enables young women in the rural northern Ethiopian district of Hagere Selam to continue secondary and post-secondary education. From 2012-2020, we supported 63 students to continue education – with several graduating from law, accounting, teaching, and other post-secondary schools, and returning to serve their communities.

Our work paused with the 2020 War on Tigray. When we were unable to reach any of our contacts in Tigray for over two years during the war, we gave our reserve funds to The Tigray Disaster Relief Fund (TDRF). Through an employer match, we were able to 5x the donation and gave over $44,000. We collaborated with them to channel this money to the Tigrayan organization Haben Tigray, through  They are using these donations to fund a scholarship cohort of 52 young women in high school in rural Tigray.

In 2023 we started hearing from our colleagues and students, and started funding the young women still continuing education. We recruited a new class of 15 for the 2023-24 academic year. The need is greater than ever after the devastation of war. We are currently accepting donations for scholarships and also to give directly to the school.

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Raey Hiwot’s program and vision

Many young women in the area stop education after middle school because there is only one high school in the district, and their families cannot afford the $5/month rent for a room near the school. This scholarship pays for rent and school supplies for students who would not otherwise attend school due to financial barriers. It ranges from $65 per year for high school students, to $105 per year for university students. We happily accept donations in any amount.

Over the past 11 years we have recruited 63 students. Seventeen have graduated from university or technical college programs! Twelve young women left the program before finishing school. Thirty-four students are  continuing their education – in high school, technical college and university. Those in post-secondary programs are studying languages, law, and accounting among other subjects. Check out our program activities, timeline, and finances.

Because we are completely volunteer run, all of your money goes directly into these young women’s bank accounts. (RH leadership covers the money transfer fees and small stipends for our in-country volunteers.) The students’ account activity is monitored by the local bank manager, and they must show proof of school attendance to continue receiving funds. For more details, read program policies, and check out our student expectations document.

The scholarship is critically important in expanding these young women’s opportunities. Many young women in the area who don’t attend high school marry young, or become domestic servants in the Middle East.  Check out our letter of appreciation from the local women’s association.

We’ve made two visits to Hagere Selam in the past several years to check in on how the program is operating, meet with the young women we’ve been supporting, and plan for the coming years with our local volunteers. Laura visited in March 2018 and Kristina in August 2015. Check out this film, created with footage from Laura’s trip, to see our students and get a taste of life in northern Ethiopia. Photos, videos and a trip report from Kristina’s visit are available here. Details from Laura’s trip will be posted soon!

We want to be transparent about how we coordinate this program. Thoughts, comments, or questions? We’d love to hear from you at RaeyHiwot@gmail.com.

Sincerely,

The Raey Hiwot Team: Hailemichael, Zeru, Laura, Kristina, Paul, Susan, Tigi