WHO WE ARE

The Yoftahe Development Association (YDA) is a nonprofit organization headquartered in Silver Spring, Maryland. In 2021, an idea for creating an NGO emerged as a result of a casual conversation between friends who shared similar goals and have always wanted to give back to the community that gave them all they had. The first project for YDA was to renovate /build a new public library in Debremarkose, in Northern Ethiopia. Yoftahe Development Association is named after Kegn Geta Yoftahe Negussie, a prolific Amharic writer who composed the first Ethiopian national anthem used from 1930 to 1974. Kegn Geta Yoftahe Negussie also played a significant role in establishing the National Patriotic Theater and is known for preaching unity among Ethiopians. As YDA, we strive to emulate Kegne Geta Yoftahe's love for the nation, intellectual curiosity, and public service to benefit all Ethiopians.

WHAT WE DO

YDA intends to contribute to

Education and

Social Change.

As YDA, we want and hope to contribute measurably to the improvement of early literacy and numeracy in elementary and high school classrooms and beyond. By introducing a culturally appropriate and contextualized educational best practice from the developed world, YDA intends to contribute to education and social change. In order to accomplish this goal, YDA will provide continuous professional development for teachers and meaningfully contribute to improving the quality of education provided to students. As part and parcel of youth development, YDA hopes to introduce innovative livelihood initiatives enabling youth to become self-sufficient and develop a sustainable income.

In order to realize this goal, YDA will focus on providing short and long-term trade and skills training for youth in fields highly demanded by the job market.

We at YDA believe in an integrated approach to development, and our goal is to improve the health and nutritional status of their children from conception to five years of age. Additionally, we will provide public health issue support as part of our portfolio, which will be able to establish systems for making lasting changes in the perception of health in communities. In addition, we will be partnering with public libraries to establish resource centers that will be accessible to the broader community and provide access to youth to the global knowledge pool

through digital libraries, coaching, and mentorship programs.