Arba Minch, known as ’40 Springs,’ is about 500 kilometers south of Addis Ababa and sits 1285 meters above sea level. It is the largest town in the Gamo Zone, featuring natural attractions such as the bridge of god, a crocodile ranch and market, a variety of fruits and vegetables, fish from Lakes Chamo and Abaya, and numerous springs. It’s a key tourist destination with its two major lakes, Abaya and Chamo, and Nechisar National Park. The town is also known for its exceptional banana production in Ethiopia.
Most people in Arba Minch work in small-scale businesses or as daily laborers, often selling goods in local markets. Accessing sufficient food is a challenge, and issues like child trafficking and labor are significant. Financial difficulties usually prevent many families from covering educational costs, leading some children to drop out of school to work. Health issues such as malaria and typhoid are prevalent, with malaria affecting many families seasonally. HIV/AIDS also poses a concern for some families.
Children’s HopeChest, in partnership with St. Lorenz Lutheran Church, has established Arba Minch Highland CarePoint. The CarePoint supports children, guardians, and the community through education, medical aid, and small business initiatives aimed at reducing poverty. The community seeks sustainable development and welcomes HopeChest’s support, particularly its focus on sustainable development, starting with children.
The HopeChest Team Supporting Arba Minch Highland

Andualem Negussie
Program Manager

Brad Hubbard
HopeChest Partnership Leader

Tenbit Zeleke
Community Relationship Manager

Orion Netsanet
Strategic Partnership Director

Tim Bernthal
HopeChest Partnership Leader
Empower a Child at Arba Minch Highland
Empowering a child is one of the most personal ways that you can make an impact on global poverty. It is more than providing for their physical, emotional, and spiritual needs. When you sponsor a child, you build a relationship that shows that child they are valuable, worth loving, and worth investing in. The HopeChest Model empowers children to make an individual choice about their future and removes the stigma of the child as a victim in need of help. Your commitment is the starting point of a journey that equips vulnerable children, their families, and their communities to create sustainable transformation. When you sponsor a child with HopeChest, you are not just supporting one child — you are helping transform entire communities.
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HopeChest’s approach to alleviating poverty is asset-based, because we believe that in every place on earth there are resources, not only for surviving, but for thriving and succeeding. Local leaders tell us what they do have instead of what they don’t have, and we walk with them to see their vision for their community come to fruition through development projects.
A fundraiser for Shone Yehiwot Berhan CarePoint is transformational rather than transactional. It promotes empowerment rather than dependence. Your support for these projects will go a long way as, together, we invest in holistic and sustainable solutions that address the root issues of poverty.
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