Glimmer’s third grant from The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust will support children and families in a rural community in southern Ethiopia. The new three-year project will focus on economic empowerment and essential services to alleviate poverty and build community resilience for generations to come.

“Helmsley is committed to building resilience, especially in rural communities, so that they have the wherewithal to stand strong when crises arise,” said Trista Kontz-Bartels, a Program Director at the Helmsley Charitable Trust. “A Glimmer of Hope has an ever-increasing track record of responding to locally-stated needs to improve health, economic security, and overall well-being across Ethiopia, and we are grateful for their shared commitment as we grow our support of their efforts.”

The project will strengthen social infrastructure in Gumer, a rural farming community of 50,000 people experiencing high rates of poverty and food insecurity. The community’s strong potential for growth in agriculture, along with the engagement of local leaders and government in the co-design of the project, creates an opportunity for lasting impact. More than 150 individuals from the local and regional government, community development associations, and community members attended recent planning workshops to align on priorities and commitments.

“Investing in sustainable, community-led solutions that address the root causes of poverty is more critical than ever,” said Alicyn Yarbrough, Glimmer’s CEO. “We are grateful for Helmsley’s commitment, which allows us to expand our impact to reach more of the most vulnerable communities in Ethiopia.”

This latest Helmsley-supported Glimmer initiative will leverage key learnings from our previous partnerships in the Oromia and Amhara regions. The Amhara project started in 2018 and has demonstrated growth and benchmarks for sustainability, even in the face of the pandemic and political conflict. Glimmer will continue working in these communities, along with the new project in Gumer, to support families to be better able to cope with shocks and thrive where they live.

About the Helmsley Charitable Trust
The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust aspires to improve lives by supporting exceptional efforts in the U.S. and around the world in health and select place-based initiatives. Since beginning active grantmaking in 2008, Helmsley has committed more than $3.5 billion for a wide range of charitable purposes. For more information on Helmsley and its programs, visit www.helmsleytrust.org.