iN the beginning

Biruk's Egg Project started when eight-year-old Biruk Van De Stroet had an idea. He simply asked his dad Jerome if he could have eight chickens. Wanting to encourage entrepreneurship, Jerome agreed, and instead purchased 100 chickens. After all, Jerome reasoned, 100 chickens were not that much more work than eight chickens were. Once the chicks had arrived and they eventually started producing eggs, Jerome and Tami asked Biruk what he would like to save his money for. They expected him to answer with a certain toy. Instead, Biruk explained (in broken English, since he was still learning at the time) that he wanted to send the money raised back to Wuchale, Ethiopia. Biruk had memories of living in deep poverty, of hungry days and nights, of rain coming through the roof, and of hyenas walking in the dark Wuchale streets. Biruk concluded that if he could send money back to Wuchale, perhaps some kids would not have to live like he did. Biruk had (and still has) a big heart.

Biruk began to sell his eggs to relatives and neighbors, and approximately a year later, he and his family had saved about $10,000. It was time to go to work to figure out how to best send the money to Wuchale. Jerome and Tami contacted their Ethiopian friend Abel Berhane. Berhane agreed to travel ten hours to Wuchale to look for a local Compassion, International project or perhaps a local World Vision project. He found neither organization was active in the town. Instead, Berhane met Melaku Mengesha, development director with the EECMY (Mekane Yesus, "Home of Jesus") church. Not only was the EECMY development branch active in Wuchale; it was active all over Ethiopia.

Once Berhane connected the Van De Stroets with Mengesha, a long-term relationship began. Instead of sending a one-time lump sum of $10,000 to Mengesha to allocate among various families, the project began sponsoring ten children, and the Van De Stroets continued to accept donations for eggs, expanding their hen flock to 200 and eventually to about 400.

While at first donations trickled in, the family was asked to speak at local churches and community organizations. Biruk was interviewed for KMEG TV as well as other TV news and newspapers, and more and more subscribers asked to be added to the delivery list. Eventually the Van De Stroet family decided to incorporate and form a nonprofit, one that would continue to send 100% of all egg donations to Wuchale, Ethiopia to provide not only aid, but development.

An executive board was formed, 501 (c) 3 status was approved through the IRS, and the flock was expanded to over 700 hens. Donations continued to increase to the point where Biruk's Egg Project subscribers were sponsoring 75 (and for a short time, 100) children.

In the spring of 2018, the Van De Stroet family returned to Wuchale to check on the progress of the project and the recipients of the funds. Following the trip and a board meeting, sponsorship was expanded to include psycho/social supports, school incentives, and a full-time employee, Beza Tekletsadik. In addition, two large donations were received that the board decided to save for a maternal medicine clinic, which would necessitate more large-scale fundraising. The board also agreed to expand into the EECMY's micro loan program, where single parents could attend classes and meeting to learn about entrepreneurship, and eventually borrow money to start their own businesses.

In late 2019, the family, along with two others, again visited Wuchale. There they saw direct results of the micro loan program, with families beginning to raise enough money that their children would eventually not qualify for assistance through the egg project anymore. In 2020 the board agreed to fund a maternal medicine clinic, where expectant mothers could visit and deliver their babies, as well as receive newborn care. The clinic was completed and dedicated in the spring of 2021.

While Biruk's Egg Project has been a shocking success, the board and the Van De Stroets recognize that it is not human work and not even human generosity that made all the puzzle pieces fall together. Only with God are all things are possible.