Adams Thermal Foundation

Published Sat, Apr 25, 2020

"Let the Heavenly God think of you as you think of us in our Easter. Let our God protect you from this pandemic disease and from other dangers. Thank you, and even if we don't know all of you by your name, we hope our prayer would get to all of you." Recent Food Distribution Recipient

COVID-19 has forced much of the world into a lock-down situation, including Ethiopia and the two Adams Thermal Academy schools in Hosanna and Ottoro. Photo-copied lesson plans and worksheets are being distributed to all students to continue the school year in a crude...

Hope in Prayer for Ethiopia

Published Fri, Apr 17, 2020

As Ethiopians prepare this weekend for celebrations of Easter, known as Fasika, many will be spending time in prayer. However, Fasika isn't the only reason that Ethiopians are praying. Last week, the government of Ethiopia asked members of all the major religions in the country to pray for the protection of Ethiopia from the Coronavirus pandemic. The Ethiopian Orthodox Church, The Roman Catholic Church, Seventh Day Adventists, Evangelicals and Muslims have all responded to the request for prayer. To further support the effort, all of the television networks in Ethiopia are providing airtime daily for 30 days so that pastors...

Coronavirus Response in Ethiopia – PART 2

Published Fri, Apr 10, 2020

As of this morning, there are 56 reported cases of COVID-19 in Ethiopia, but there is very limited testing being done, especially in the rural areas so the numbers are likely inaccurate. The country wide lock-down continues, and only essential operations are running.

The two Adams Thermal Academies are closed, initially for two weeks, but the closure has been extended to at least a month. The staff at both schools are doing their best to keep the students active and on track during this down time. Teachers for the core subjects in each grade are...

Coronavirus Response in Ethiopia - PART 1

Published Wed, Apr 01, 2020

Thank you to everyone that has been asking about Hosanna and Ottoro in the context of the current pandemic! The schools in Hosanna and Ottoro have been closed for two weeks and our local team has been working on a plan to continue school operations while students stay at home for an indefinite period. We'll have more to share about this plan next week.

One bright spot is our access to masks, gloves and sanitary supplies. Our corporate parent, Adams Thermal Systems, operates a provisioning office in Hangzhou, China that is sending supplies...

The Poverty Cycle Broken: Another Life Changed

Published Sun, Dec 01, 2019

Her name is Etenesh Hadicho and she's got skills . . . and gratitude . . . and hope.

Etenesh is a recent graduate of our Self-Help Sewing Training program in Hosanna. Just a few months ago, everything seemed to be hopeless for Etenesh. Her husband and brother both died and she was diagnosed with cancer. Her days were filled with weeping and sorrow. And then came an opportunity for hope.

Etenesh, along with nine other women from local Self-Help Groups, made the decision to learn how to sew. Rather than spending her time at home alone and...

Church Ladies Keep Girls in School

Published Sun, Oct 27, 2019

As female Ethiopian students grow older, opportunities for education decrease, especially in poor, rural areas. While Adams Thermal Academies enroll only the "poorest of the poor", one of the barriers that can keep young girls out of the classroom is feminine hygiene and overall menstrual health. In developing countries like Ethiopia, school-aged girls often miss several days of school each month sitting on all manner of unsanitary materials and often going without food unless someone brings it to them. In addition, adolescent girls are often bullied or humiliated in school due to a lack of hygiene resources as well as...

Late Nights and Dirty Shoes

Published Fri, Oct 11, 2019

What happens when love and ambition collide? Spoiler ALERT! Love wins.

This is the story of a young man who chose late nights and dirty shoes over a university scholarship, all for the love of his mother. We'll call him Desta. But his real name and identity are hidden for privacy and protection.

Our Ethiopia travel team from the United States first met Desta in June of 2019 when we visited the Adams Thermal Academies in Hosanna and Ottoro. Our first night in Hosanna, we invited some college students to join us for dinner. All of these students...

Angels in Adoption: Where it All Began

Published Sat, Aug 31, 2019

This week, we're celebrating the nomination of Mike and Kim Adams for the Angels in Adoption Award by South Dakota Senator, John Thune. Senator Thune is a member of the Congressional Coalition on Adoption, an organization dedicated to supporting legislation that improves the lives of children without families. The Angels in Adoption Award honors those who advocate for adoption and child welfare. Senator Thune nominated Mike and Kim not only because they are adoptive parents. But also because they continue to serve children through their foundation and...

Remembering the Rain & Recognition

Published Fri, Aug 23, 2019

"Breaking the cycle of poverty". We often communicate that goal to our stakeholders, supporters and followers. But the actual work of "breaking the cycle" happens every day of the school year, in every classroom through the determination and hard work of every student at Adams Thermal Academies. This work is slow and tedious and requires a future vision for success. So it's important that we take the opportunity at the end of the school year to recharge that vision and remind our students of what success looks like.

On a rainy day in July, parents, teachers, administrators and friends...

News