YOUTH IMPACT

More than 50% of Ethiopia's population is under the age of 25. This, coupled with rampant youth unemployment and poverty, means that there are tens of thousands of young people living on the streets of Addis Ababa, alone. Prostitution, drug and alcohol abuse, violent crime, and theft, are all common. 

Youth Impact is a faith based organization that has been doing great work for more than a decade. Focusing on street boys with very little opportunity for a positive future this organization takes the kids in and turns their lives around. Due to their extremely personal and hands on approach Youth Impact has had a very high success rate. 

A mosque in Addis Ababa greets the early morning light.

Muslims make up about one third of Ethiopia's population with the majority being Ethiopian Orthodox Christians (43.5%) and 18.6% are Protestant Christians. 

The country is deeply religious largely because of close historical ties to all three major Abrahamic religions. Its historic kingdom Aksum was one of the world's first Christian nations, adopting the religion in the 4th century. Ethiopia also hosts the oldest Muslim settlements in Africa. 
 

Dozens of homeless youth sleep in the Piassa district of Addis Ababa as someone passes by.

Some estimates claim there are more than 50,000 homeless youth in Addis Ababa which is the capital of Ethiopia and a city of around three and a half million. 

Abraham Fiseha is a co-founder of Youth Impact and now serves as the fundraiser and manager of the program. 

His organization is working to help the thousands of homeless and at-risk youth in the capital city of Ethiopia.

A young boy waits by the window of a library for a book. Part of the educational branch of Youth Impact the library offers free lunches to anyone willing to study hard.

Unicef puts the adult literacy rate of Ethiopia at 39% which is one of the very lowest rates in the world. 

Little rascals pass the time waiting for their lunch by taunting me.

As an incentive and reward for studying hard Youth Impact gives a healthy free lunch to several dozen children every day.