I Help

In Ethiopia, families divide the work required to maintain the household. Drying out dung for cooking fires or insulation, preparing meals, tending livestock and caring for other family members are all important tasks. Every member of the family can help, and supportive families learn how to balance their skills and abilities to ensure that everything gets done. An inclusive family also ensures that each member feels valued and respected, with responsibilities and duties that match their skills, regardless of their differences. Take a peek into the daily life of an inclusive Ethiopian family with diverse skills in our colorful bilingual early reader. Bright illustrations bring the daily life of a visually impaired Ethiopian girl into focus as she goes about her day, and how she supports (and is supported by) the loved ones around her.

Open Hearts Big Dreams Ready Set Go (OHBD-RSG) Books were created to help increase the literacy rate in Ethiopia through giving readers books with stories in their heart languages, full of colorful illustrations with Ethiopian settings and details. Profits from book sales are used to create, print, and distribute more OHBD-RSG books to kids in Ethiopia, Africa's second most populous country. Ethiopia's population has a high percentage of children ages 0-14. Only a small percentage attend pre-school or kindergarten, and the adult literacy rate is around 50%.

Some of our books are based on wise Ethiopian sayings that often rhyme in Amharic. If an adult says the first half, many children can chant the second half. Sometimes the meaning of these sayings is clear. Sometimes it has to be puzzled out and argued over. But sayings and idioms and proverbs help people express truths and beliefs in unusual ways. Other books are based on STEAM topics, cooking, colors, counting and more.

Since late 2017, OHBD has published over 150 unique OHBD-RSG bilingual titles in a number of Ethiopian, African and global languages plus English and has plans to publish more titles and add more languages. New titles or languages are added monthly; follow our author page to get new release announcements. Open Hearts Big Dreams Fund (OHBD) is a 501(3)(c) not for profit organization that believes the chance to dream big dreams should not depend on where in the world you are born. Our mission is to inspire and enable youth in Ethiopia through Literacy, Innovation, Inclusion and Leadership Projects in collaboration with individuals and organizations in Ethiopia and globally.