Asrat Is investing in university students across Ethiopia.

This month, we’re sharing stories of university students in Ethiopia during some of the most formative years of their lives. As they grow in their faith, discover their calling, and prepare for what’s next, many are stepping into roles where they can lead churches, serve their communities, and invest in others. It’s exciting to see how walking alongside a student today can create a ripple effect that touches so many lives tomorrow.

Pause and Reflect…

By Asrat, African Leadership Ethiopia Executive Director

Expanding the Gospel in Ethiopia Through University Students!

DID YOU KNOW 66% to 70% of young adults raised in the church walk away from or drift from their faith during their college years, with up to 80% disengaged by age 29.

But through African Leadership’s Bible Training Program in Ethiopia, young men and women are being equipped to serve the Church, strengthen their communities, and prepare the next generation of Christian leaders.

Approximately one-quarter of our Bible training students are university students. While pursuing their degrees, they commit to two years of part-time Bible training, growing in their understanding of God’s Word, developing leadership skills, and asking how God might use their lives in ministry and service.

For many, this investment becomes the beginning of something much larger.

Meet Student Leader: Yonatan Simon

Yonatan Simon’s journey illustrates how that investment can multiply. Today, he serves as the National Youth Coordinator for one of Ethiopia’s largest evangelical churches, providing leadership and direction for youth ministry across the country.

But Yonatan’s influence extends beyond his own leadership. He has established youth pastor training centers in different parts of Ethiopia, equipping other pastors with the knowledge, skills, and spiritual guidance they need to serve young people effectively.

As he invests in youth pastors, they invest in young people in their own communities. What begins with one leader becomes an expanding network of people equipped to strengthen the Church and develop future generations.

Meet Student Leader: Abebe Awasho

That same multiplication is taking place through Abebe Awasho’s ministry. After helping establish a new church, Abebe and his team have continued reaching into surrounding communities to share the Gospel.

One particularly encouraging development is that two local evangelists from the community where the church was planted have now been trained to serve in ministry. They are actively contributing to the church’s growth and sharing the Gospel among people in their own community.

The work is no longer dependent on one person. Local leaders are being equipped to serve their neighbors, strengthen their church, and carry the work forward themselves.

Abebe is also preparing for the next chapter of his ministry. He hopes to attend a mission training school and eventually serve as an international missionary. His vision is to take the Gospel to Muslim-dominated areas outside Ethiopia, where he hopes to reach more people and serve communities with the message of Christ.

Across Ethiopia, African Leadership Bible Training graduates are serving as pastors, leading organizations, strengthening congregations, and bringing their faith into their professions and communities. Some are establishing churches; others are developing leaders who will continue the work long after their own training is complete.

For us, this is more than Bible education. It is an investment in the next generation of African Christian leaders. When we invest in a university student today, we are not only shaping one person’s future, we are equipping someone who can go on to influence churches, organizations, families, and communities for many years to come.

We are grateful for the opportunity to be part of what God is doing through these young leaders, and we are deeply thankful for those who make this ministry possible. Your partnership helps us reach, train, and equip young men and women who can serve God'‘s church and bring lasting transformation to their communities

Thank you for reading,

Asrat
Executive Director - African Leadership Ethiopia

Leaders like Asrat continue serving their communities because people like you stand with them.

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Field Updates

📍DR Congo

In eastern DRC, communities are facing renewed fears of conflict alongside a growing Ebola outbreak. Fighting in surrounding areas has heightened anxiety in Goma, while the spread of Ebola is putting vulnerable communities at risk and forcing some churches to close their doors to prevent transmission. Despite these dangers, African Leadership's local teachers continue serving students, even in areas under occupation where they must carefully navigate their movements and protect themselves from infection. Some classes continue without essential training manuals, and graduations have been postponed as students await Bibles. Yet the work continues: students are participating in evangelism and church outreach, and the agricultural project in Kibumba is progressing toward its anticipated November–December harvest. In a season marked by uncertainty, local leaders remain committed to bringing hope and equipping others to serve their communities.

Executive Director: Jeremie

📍 Malawi

In Malawi, Leonard and his team are navigating a deepening fuel and utility crisis. Gas stations have run dry, and black-market fuel prices have become prohibitively expensive, making travel and daily operations increasingly difficult. Frequent electricity blackouts and intermittent water supplies add to the strain on families and organizations. Despite these challenges, leadership classes continue in some locations. However, a shortage of Chichewa (local language) training manuals is preventing several centers, particularly in rural communities, from beginning classes until next year. Leonard and his team remain committed to providing leadership classes, even as the country's economic challenges limit what they can accomplish. Their perseverance is a reminder that leadership development takes place not apart from hardship, but often right in the middle of it!

Executive Director: Leonard

📍 Ethiopia

Conflict in northern Ethiopia has intensified over the past two weeks, raising concerns about wider regional instability. Although the fighting remains far from Addis Ababa, growing tensions between Ethiopia and Eritrea, including the closure of embassies and expulsion of diplomats, have heightened fears about what may come next. Amid these uncertainties, Asrat and the African Leadership team continue investing in the next generation of leaders.

Across more than 20 universities, students are participating in leadership classes and growing in their faith. Asrat is also preparing to encourage university coordinators from the Ethiopian Kale Heywet Church as they continue discipling and equipping students. However, the team is facing a shortage of Study Bibles, and limited rainfall and economic pressures are affecting communities across the country.

Executive Director: Asrat

Pray With Us

Pray for an end to escalating conflict in northern Ethiopia and eastern DRC. Ask God to protect vulnerable communities, bring wisdom to those pursuing peace, and contain the Ebola outbreak so families, churches, and local leaders can serve safely.

🇺🇬 🇸🇸 Pray for rain and provision across East Africa.

Pray for sufficient rainfall to sustain second-season crops in Uganda, South Sudan, and other drought-affected areas. Ask God to protect harvests, prevent severe food shortages next year, and provide relief from rising food and fuel prices.

🇪🇹 🇨🇩 Pray for peace and health in Ethiopia and The DRC.

Pray for the provision of Study Bibles and training manuals for students in Ethiopia, Malawi, and the DRC. Ask God to sustain local teachers and coordinators, open the way for postponed graduations and new classes, and provide the transportation and resources needed to continue serving.

🇲🇼 🇨🇩 🇪🇹 Pray for resources for leadership development.

Pray for peace and a clear path forward in South Sudan amid uncertainty surrounding the upcoming elections. Ask God to protect Darfurian refugees and believers from Muslim backgrounds who face persecution, bring healing to those who are sick, and strengthen families and leaders carrying heavy responsibilities.