Established in 2019, the Deborah Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of Ethiopian youth with mental disabilities through support in the areas of education, health, and policy advocacy.
When the fourth daughter of his Excellency Abadulla Gemeda and W/ro Rahel Welde Deborah was born with Down syndrome in 2008, the family experienced many unforeseen challenges following the diagnosis. Comprehensive care and education for disabled children was rare to find in Ethiopia. The lack of local expertise for treating and caring for children with Down syndrome was a major obstacle in the first years of Deborah’s life and continues to be so.
Today, Deborah enjoys a healthy life alongside her siblings – thanks to well-mobilized support and the faith and love of family and friends. However, many families in Ethiopia are less fortunate and struggle to provide their children diagnosed with physical and mental disabilities with the best care possible.
The foundation was created with a vision for Ethiopia by Deborah’s family: Deborah Foundation strives to make the Ethiopian health, education, and policy infrastructure more inclusive for Ethiopian youth with mental disabilities.
The Deborah foundation trains educational professionals and institutions to maximize accessibility of schools to the mentally disabled youth across Ethiopia. The foundation trains health professionals and institutions to realize full capacity in mental disability therapeutic service across Ethiopia. In collaboration with partners and key stakeholders the foundation aims to facilitate and mobilize health as well as educational resources to mentally disabled youth across Ethiopia.
Families have an important role as advocates for their family member with intellectual disability including Down syndrome. By speaking up for a family member and providing leadership for the rest of the community families have been the driving force behind many of the progressive changes that have been made in the lives of people intellectual disability. The Deborah foundation aims to engage, educate and support families of children with intellectual disability.
“Deborah Foundation is doing great work in improving the lives of Ethiopian youth with mental disabilities” commended Prime Minister Abiy as part of Ethiopian New Year celebrations. He expressed delight in visiting the youth who are receiving treatment at the foundation and extended New Year best wishes to them.
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and First Lady Zinash Tayachew had lunch with elders, persons with disabilities and homeless children as part of celebrating the Ethiopian New Year.
