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A Year of Expansion

Alabaster International
2023 Annual Report

We give so much thanks for all that has happened this year! It was a crucial year for Alabaster as we expanded our work to two new nations: South Sudan and Ethiopia and continued our precious partnerships in Kenya.

We are so grateful for your partnership that made this truly a year of expansion. In this annual report, you can read more about the impact made in the lives of our friends in East Africa and learn about what the future holds.

On the Ground

Health Initiatives in Kenya

  • 9 babies (6 boys and 3 girls) delivered at the Endonyolasho Maternity Wing
  • 1117 children cared for through the Endonyolasho Clinic Pediatric Program
  • 2707 patients treated at the Endoynolasho Community Clinic
  • 8000 feminine hygiene pads distributed

Community Education Initiatives in Kenya

  • 240 students accessed the Endonyolasho library - 102 female students & 138 male students
  • 56 community adults accessed the library - 29 women & 27 men
  • 4% increase in the number of women who borrowed books
  • 10% increase in the number of female students who accessed the library outside of class
  • 8% increase in the total number of women reached by the library (including children and adults)

Female Entrepreneurship in Kenya

  • Lolupe Women’s Business and Training Center
    • 20 customers served per day at the community restaurant housed in the center 
    • Enset-based porridge added to restaurant menu starting July 2023 - first-ever introduction of Enset-based foods in Kenya
    • Alliance for the Protection of Children
      • A sewing machine hub was launched for teen mothers in informal settlements to be trained in dressmaking and business skills

      Expanding the Good

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      South Sudan

      In May, Alabaster launched a partnership with a new organization called Universal Intervention and Development Organization (UNIDOR) based in South Sudan. UNIDOR is a South Sudanese NGO with over 20 years of experience caring for communities, particularly those who are isolated and hard to reach.

      Alabaster conducted its first visit to the community of Leer and was amazed by the community's resilience, hospitality, and kindness. We are very excited to expand our work to South Sudan with a focus on empowering women and their families impacted by war and devasting flooding.

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      Ethiopia

      In June, Alabaster formed and entered into a historic agreement bringing together the Ethiopian Biodiversity Institute (EBI) and Arba Minch University (AMU) of Ethiopia along with Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture & Technology (JKUAT) in Kenya and Alabaster’s long-standing Kenyan NGO partner: Girl Child Network. Together this multi-nation research and farming consortium seeks to establish Enset, known as the “tree against hunger,” as a new climate-smart, food security crop amongst famine-prone and drought-stricken communities in the region. The overall goal of this project is to help alleviate poverty and reverse famine conditions in food-insecure farming communities in Kenya and Ethiopia, especially those farms led by indigenous women.

      Mobile Healthcare

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      In June, Girl Child Network introduced us to a new community in Kenya: the village of Letea. Isolated from traditional aid sources and located in the semi-arid county of Kakuma, the community faces acute hunger and malnutrition due to prolonged drought in the region. The Letea Dispensary is sparsely staffed and does not receive a consistent supply of medications needed to care for the community. 

      This year, Alabaster cared for 600 children within the Letea community - providing Vitamin A, de-worming, and malnutrition supplements. 10% of children were found to be malnourished and close to 2% were severely malnourished. We plan to commit long-term to caring for the Letea community with a focus on the health and wellness of vulnerable women and children.

      Investing in the Future

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      We were able to provide emergency school supplies for 3,571 elementary school students in Leer, South Sudan to assist them during this next school year. We are working with our local partner, UNIDOR, to ensure ongoing support will be obtained through UNICEF so supplies will continue to be made available to these precious students.

      Impacting Food Security
      in Ethiopia and Kenya

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      Our Enset Food Security Initiative activities kicked off on November 1 with our partners in Ethiopia and Kenya. The unprecedented cultivated Enset plant transfer from Ethiopia to Kenya occurred on November 28, 2023 to enable groundbreaking research on scaling Enset as a food security crop in the region. We are grateful to our partners in Ethiopia for enabling this first-ever international sharing of Enset plant genetic resources for research purposes and food security analysis, bringing two African nations together to combat hunger. To get a more in-depth look at the milestones for this project so far please click:

      View Timeline

      2023 Financials

      • Revenue$115,363
      • Expenses$81,671
      • Program
      • Admin/Fundraising

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