Debre Berhan

In early 2025, Elevate opened its first branch outside of Addis in the town of Debre Berhan — a city two hours northeast of the capital. The decision was intentional: we have always believed that smaller towns and rural areas are places of both great need and great potential.

Student Empowerment Program

The youth who are in our program here are those who have migrated to Debre Berhan for their education. Some have migrated from surrounding rural areas because there is no high school in their village. Others have come from different parts of the country due to conflict. No matter where they are from, they are all in Debre Berhan for one thing: to pursue their education and their dreams.

These students are some of the most hardworking and bold young people we have had the privilege of working with. We provide them with all the same education and mentorship services as our students in Addis.

IDP Empowerment Program

Debre Berhan is also home to a community of 28,000 IDPs (Internally Displaced People). Many arrived in Debre Berhan with nothing. We walk alongside IDP families by providing small business training and startup capital for parents to help them provide for their families, restore their sense of dignity, and begin to rebuild their lives.

What We’ve Seen

Though our work in Debre Berhan is just beginning, we have already seen the impact of our presence in the community.

Accomplishments we have seen in Debre Berhan include:

• 75% of the first batch of students who joined our programs have improved their school results in their first year with Elevate.

• More than 75 IDP parents have been empowered and started their own small businesses.