OUR NAME

HANTI SIDRA means "One Family" in the Tigrinya language of Eritrea.  It was the name given to the first group of orphans we supported there.  Since our supporters and beneficiaries live in many countries around the world, we are now truly "One Global Family".

BACKGROUND

It all started in 1992, when two Canadians, Stephanie and Dennis Schroeder, visited Eritrea, a land in the Horn of Africa devastated by three decades of war and frequent droughts.  Our initial search was for a small orphanage where we could sponsor all of the children.  We found it at St. Joseph's School in Keren.  We also found people in Canada who shared our interest in developing friendships with Eritreans and assisting them in their struggle to create better lives for themselves and their children.

Our group began as the B.C. branch of the Eritrean Relief Association in Canada in 1992.  Two years later, we reorganized as the Eritrean Relief and Rehabilitation Association of British Columbia (ERRA-BC), a non-profit society incorporated in B.C. and registered with the Canada Revenue Agency as a charitable organization.  In 2008, we changed our name to Hanti Sidra One Global Family.

During our 24 years of operation, we have spent almost $1.6 million on a variety of projects in Eritrea, South Sudan and elsewhere in the Horn of Africa.  All of these funds have been contributed by people who believe in the value of the work being done. None is from governments. All of the money donated goes directly to our colleagues who do the work we support in Eritrea and South Sudan.  We are unpaid volunteers.

ERITREA

In Eritrea, our main partners are the De la Salle Brothers, Comboni Sisters, the Daughters of Charity, the Capuchin Sisters, and the Santa Anna Sisters, all religious orders run by Eritreans who have worked tirelessly and very effectively with the poorest of the poor in education, health care, women's promotion and community development for many years.  We are constantly amazed by how much they are able to accomplish under very difficult circumstances.

SOUTH SUDAN

In South Sudan, we have partnered with the Pan Aweil Development Agency, a non-profit community based organization founded by William Kolong Pioth, one of the Lost Boys of Sudan.   A Canadian citizen, he returned to South Sudan about 10 years ago. He now works there full-time at improving conditions for people in the areas of agriculture, education, health and nutrition, clean water, and peace and conflict resolution.   

You may designate donations for either Eritrea or South Sudan or both.