Empowering Education. One Classroom at a Time.
Building classrooms and libraries to unlock brighter futures in underserved communities.
Our
Causes
About Us
Who We Are
Access Learning Foundation is a Nonprofit Public Benefit Corporation and is not organized for the private gain of any person. The purpose of the organization is to build classrooms in Ethiopian rural and under-served communities, and to support schools with education materials and technologies.
Our vision is to create a future where every child in rural and under-served communities has access to quality education, empowered by modern learning environments, resources, and opportunities.
This is what we planned
Build Them a Proper School
12
12 libraries built
28
classrooms constructed
6,300
students reached
testimonials
Success Stories
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore.
“Having clean water would be like having a peaceful and happy life.”
“We have cried out for clean water, but nobody has given us an ear yet.”
From Desperation to Determination: A Rural Community’s Commitment to Education
The Journey of Access Learning Education Foundation
Phase 1: The Early Struggles – Walking 25 Kilometers for Hope
Years ago, in a remote farming community in rural Ethiopia, the dream of attaining a high school education was nearly impossible. Students—some as young as 14—had to walk over 25 kilometers each way just to attend the nearest high school. The physical and financial burden was immense. As a result:
- Over 75% of students dropped out before completing high school. The founder of Access Learning Foundation was one of these dropouts.
- More than 95% of girls never made it past the 9th grade due to long travel, safety risks, and lack of support.
This crisis wasn’t just about education—it was about the loss of potential, of dreams deferred, and futures denied.
Hope was rekindled. The school became a symbol of possibility.
Phase 2: Community Awakening – Turning an Elementary School into a High School
Faced with these staggering challenges, the community refused to remain passive. In partnership with local authorities, they transformed the existing elementary school into a middle school, and eventually into a high school
The first classrooms were basic but functional.
Early cohorts of students received a foundation in learning and some even went on to achieve success in higher education and professional careers.
The community—comprised mostly of subsistence farmers—did everything they could. They pooled their limited resources to add classrooms and buy chalkboards, benches, and other basic materials. But the needs far outstripped their capacity.
Phase 3: Growth and Decay – Too Many Students, Too Few Resources
With time, the number of enrolled students increased dramatically. But the facilities did not keep pace.
- Aging classrooms became unsafe, many literally on the brink of collapse.
- There were too few desks, books, or teaching supplies to support meaningful learning.
- Overcrowding made it difficult for teachers to manage classrooms or deliver quality education.
Without urgent intervention, it faces the real threat of being shut down or downgraded back to a middle school.
Phase 4: A Crisis Point – Threat of Closure or Downgrade
Today, the school stands at a tipping point.
Without urgent intervention, it faces the real threat of being shut down or downgraded back to a middle school.
Hundreds of students risk being pushed out of education once again, and girls—especially—will be the first to lose out.
The right to learn should not be determined by geography or poverty
Why Access Learning Exists Today
Access Learning is more than a foundation—it is a promise to rural youth that their right to learn will not be determined by geography or poverty. Our mission is to rebuild, equip, and sustain this school and others like it, so that the next generation can learn with dignity, dream with courage, and lead with purpose.
Ways to Help
Get Involved
Lend Your Time & Talent
Whether you’re on the ground in Ethiopia or supporting us from anywhere in the world, your skills can help build futures. We need passionate individuals for teaching, construction support, fundraising, digital marketing, and more.
Champion of Education
You can directly impact a student’s life by launching a fundraising campaign. Host a community event, create an online fundraiser for your birthday, or challenge your network to help us reach our goal. Every dollar brings us closer to building a safe classroom.
Amplify Our Impact
Join forces with us to create lasting change. We seek partnerships with corporations, NGOs, and community groups for sponsored projects, matching gift programs, and long-term collaborative efforts. Together, we can scale our impact and empower entire communities.
Our
Mission and Vision
Mission Statement
Access Learning Foundation (ALF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to advancing educational equity. We build safe, functional classrooms and equip schools with essential learning materials in rural Ethiopia. Through collaboration and community engagement, we work to dismantle the systemic barriers to education and foster a generation of empowered learners and leaders.
Vision Statement
We envision a future where every child in rural and underserved communities has access to quality education, empowered by modern learning environments, resources, and opportunities.