Uryadi's Village

Call Directions Website Contact the organization

Uryadi's Village Uryadi's Village, empowering communities for children, in Soddo, Ethiopia. Out of this desire, Uryadi's Village was born.

Donation Link 👇

https://uryadisvillage.networkforgood.com/projects/253166-where-the-need-is-greatest In 2003, when Uryadi’s Village Founder and internationally recognized Equestrian Grand Prix rider, Jennifer Crooks and her family traveled to China to adopt her daughter Sophie her eyes opened for the first time to the world wide orphan crisis. Walking into that rural orphanage, where the most basic needs of children were barely being met, her life changed in an instant. Jennifer knew at that moment that her life would never be the same, and a burning, heart felt desire to make a lasting impact on the orphan crisis began. Over the next 11 years Jennifer and her family adopted 4 more children from China, and 3 from Ethiopia. While her family is now complete with thirteen children of their own, the desire to create a safe, healthy and loving home for children in need is burning stronger than ever. Uryadi’s Village is a sustainable community development organization dedicated to supporting vulnerable children, and their extended families to live in dignity and good health through socially, economically and environmentally renewable systems and solutions. At the heart of our mission is a deep commitment to work as partners with those we assist in fostering sustainable, locally owned solutions to meet their immediate and long-term needs. We seek to empower, uplift, and transform the lives of the most vulnerable through international and local collaborations with others sharing our mission.

Uryadi's Village is home to some of the most vulnerable children in our area in rural Ethiopia. We are fully responsible...
10/18/2026

Uryadi's Village is home to some of the most vulnerable children in our area in rural Ethiopia. We are fully responsible for their care, in every way. The foundation of support that makes it possible for us to care for our children is our sponsors. Since the beginning, we realized that one of the most impactful ways to connect the needs of our children with compassionate and dedicated people who want to make a difference in the world is through sponsorship.
Sponsorship is a uniquely beautiful relationship, both for the sponsored child and the person sponsoring them. For the child, their sponsor is often the one relationship they have with someone who is specifically committed to their care, it provides a priceless individualized connection that many of our children have never had before.
And for the sponsor, we know that being part of our children's lives in this way is absolutely life changing for our sponsors. Every sponsor participates for different reasons, and we want to share with you why our sponsors choose to be part of our village in this very special way. Darren "Dagwood" Roberts sponsors a little boy named Faris, and has visited the village many times now, spending time with Faris and connecting with him. Dagwood and his dear friend Janie Andrew sponsor Faris together. Here's what they wanted to share about why they sponsor, why they have chosen to be part of our village.
Darren "Dagwood" Roberts on why he is a UV sponsor:
"I was first introduced to Uraydi’s Village through Jennifer Crooks. Kids were not a big part of my life, but when Jennifer showed me pictures of the kids in Ethiopia and told me their stories it was impossible to not be involved in some way.
I went to Ethiopia for the first time 3 years ago. To see Uraydi’s Village in person and see the positive impact it has made on the kids lives was truly remarkable. I sponsor Faris at Uraydi’s Village. He is 8 years old. Faris was abandoned by his mother when he was very young. I was excited to meet Faris and nervous at the same time. Who knew a little kid I didn’t even know would have such an impact on my life. It has been a great experience watching him grow up the last few years, seeing him become more confident and getting to know more about him.
I will be going to Ethiopia for the fourth time in December. I can’t wait to see Faris, Jennifer, Mike, Hunter, Sarah, Henok, all the kids and the staff who make it all work.
It does take a village!"
Janie Andrew on why she is a UV sponsor:
"I really do love kids , I have two of my own but I’m not a grandmother .. so now I’m older I thought it would fill that void and it has really delivered !! It’s a great topic of conversation around here!"
We want to say an enormous thank you to all of our sponsors, and especially to Dagwood and Janie today. Every single sponsor who chooses to change a child's life is doing just that - they are making a life changing difference, and for that, we are so incredibly grateful.
We also want to share a brand new page on our website, Team Uryadi's Village. This page is so important, because it gives us a place to say thank you to our most dedicated supporters, to the members of this village who create the foundation for this work, and keep our mission moving forward through extraordinary generosity.
Starting with our child sponsors, we will be adding more names to this page, and highlighting some of our most impactful supporting members of our team.
So stay tuned as we finish this page out!
To see this new page, just click this link:
https://www.uryadisvillage.org/team-uryadis-village
Thank you for choosing to make a difference. We cannot do this work alone.
With Gratitude,
The Uryadi's Village Team

We have a very special story to share with you today. We have an amazing little girl in our village named Michu. She cam...
10/11/2026

We have a very special story to share with you today.
We have an amazing little girl in our village named Michu. She came into our care as a small girl, diagnosed with cerebral palsy. As we got to know Michu, it became apparent that she is incredibly smart, and also that she wanted to learn.
In her first year at the local school, Michu graduated #1 in her class! And we want to clarify that she is in the regular classroom, doing the same work that typical children her age do at school.
She has absolutely blossomed, and continues to thrive, loving school, and doing exceptionally well, despite the physical challenges that come with her diagnosis.
You see, Michu uses her feet to write and do her homework.
After successfully completing our onsite early education program, we were able to enroll Michu in our local school, where she attends with a helper, a wonderful woman named Mestawat, who goes to school with her and makes sure she has everything she needs to succeed.
Michu has successfully adapted to her physical limitations in an incredible way, and after a lot of consultation with doctors and other specialists, the consensus is that this is her best opportunity to be able to actively participate in her own education, which we wholeheartedly support.
However, after sharing her story with a US based special education teacher, Greg Olin, who was also Tegen Crooks' teacher, we were made aware that there are better ways to help Michu utilize this ability without compromising her physical health unnecessarily - through the constant position she has to take of looking down at her feet in order to write.
What he described was a system of a monitor that Michu can watch to see her feet that can be put in front of her, so that her posture and her neck and spine don't have to be in a strained, uncomfortable position for prolonged periods of time. We of course wanted to get her these tools.
And this is where the magic comes in. Suzy Jackson, a long time sponsor and supporter of the village, graciously agreed to provide support for the expensive monitor system that Michu needed. We cannot emphasize enough how much our sponsors, and everyone who supports this work, is making a very real difference every single day for our children, and this is one of those examples. We cannot thank Suzy enough for making this a reality for Michu.
During Jennifer's time at the village this month, we were able to get the monitor system operational!!! Through the hard work of our team, especially Hunter and Traci Schmidt, who is our advisory PT, the monitor system is now working!It was amazing to see Michu's smile as she was able to write and do her school work while comfortably looking ahead instead of down at her feet.
This has been such an incredible gift for Michu. Her ability to pursue education is being supported in a truly unique and incredible way, and we are so excited to see what this will make possible for her. She has an even brighter future now because of the support of Suzy, and also our entire village.
We are so thankful for each and every person who helps to make this village, and these kinds of gifts, possible.
Big big thanks to Suzy Jackson for giving Michu this precious gift, and for being such an important part of our village.
And to you, for reading this story, for caring enough to be part of our village.
Thank you for choosing to make a difference. We cannot do this work alone.
With Gratitude,
The Uryadi's Village Team

The day to day work at the village takes so many hands, and so many hearts dedicated to doing what is best for our child...
10/04/2026

The day to day work at the village takes so many hands, and so many hearts dedicated to doing what is best for our children every single day.
This work is not for the faint of heart, and demands so much of all of us. And our team has grown and evolved over the years into a group of people who are uniquely dedicated and passionate about caring for our children.
We are so incredibly fortunate to have the amazing people we have taking care of our children.
Our team at the village includes our directors, and our admin staff, who keep the business end of things running smoothly.
Our care staff includes child care advocates, complex caregivers who are specially trained to care for our most medically fragile children, as well as those who care for our tiniest babies.
We have housemothers who live with our children, who are truly their mothers in the most important sense.
We have a team of guards and facility staff who work like a well oiled machine to keep the village safe and operational at all times, no matter the day or night.
We have kitchen staff who ensure that our children have healthy, fresh food to eat every single day.
We have physical therapy staff who care for our children and work to keep their bodies as mobile and strong as possible.
And we have an onsite teaching team, who are are helping our children build strong academic foundations, as well as helping every child reach their own unique potential through learning and growth opportunities.
And then, of course, we have you. You, who are part of our global village of support, in so many absolutely crucial ways. You are part of our team, and you are what makes this work possible.
We are so incredibly thankful for our team, for the people who show up every day to make sure that our mission continues to be a reality, and that the impact for our children grows and grows.
Thank you for being part of our village. We cannot do this work alone.
With Gratitude,
The Uryadi's Village Team

09/27/2026

Today, we are sharing a special film made by our local Ethiopian filmmaker, Henok Tamir. Henok has created a beautiful short film highlighting the role of our Country Director, Hunter Crooks.
Hunter is Jennifer and Mike's son, and he has been living in Ethiopia, in the village, for over 3 years now.
His presence has been nothing short of transformative. As you will see in the film, he made the decision to stay at the village and provide critical leadership and guidance for this project.
The result of his choice is that our team is stronger, more effective, and more cohesive than ever. And that means our children are getting the very highest level of care possible.
Good leadership is so important, and Hunter is the kind of leader, and frankly human being, who is a light and a positive force wherever he goes.
We hope you enjoy this film, and through it, understand a little more about one of the most important people in our village.
This work cannot be done alone. It takes a village, a team across the globe, to ensure that our children can thrive, and we are so incredibly thankful for everyone who has chosen to be part of our village.
And we also want to say a special thank you to Hunter. Hunter, thank you for your dedication and your incredible spirit of love and compassion for our children. You are changing lives.
And thank YOU for reading this, for being part of our village and choosing to be the change you want to see in the world.
With Gratitude,
The Uryadi's Village Team

09/13/2026

Melkam Addis Amet! Happy Ethiopian New Year from the village. We hope you know that by being part of our village, you are making great things possible - a brighter future for every child in our care. Thank you for choosing to be part of our village.

This past week, on September 11, the village celebrated Ethiopian New Year. Part of our core values is to not only prese...
09/13/2026

This past week, on September 11, the village celebrated Ethiopian New Year. Part of our core values is to not only preserve but to actively celebrate Ethiopian culture, to ensure that our children not only know their heritage, but have a living, breathing, and vibrant connection to it and their community.
For those of us who are not familiar with Ethiopian holidays, here are a few facts about Ethiopian new year, and the Ethiopian calendar, which is actually not the same as ours.
The Ethiopian New Year, known as Enkutatash, is celebrated annually on September 11 (or September 12 during leap years).
Enkutatash means "Gift of the Jewels" in Amharic. It traces back to the legendary Queen of Sheba returning from her visit to King Solomon.
The holiday marks the end of heavy rainy season (Kiremt) and the start of spring. Yellow Adey Abeba (meskel flowers) bloom across the highlands during this time.
Traditionally, families gather for traditional meals like doro wat (chicken stew), light traditional bonfires (chibo) on New Year's Eve, and exchange the greeting “Melkam Addis Amet!” (Happy New Year in Amharic).
The unique Ethiopian calendar has 13 months and runs roughly seven to eight years behind the Gregorian calendar. This means that in Ethiopia, we just celebrated the start of 2019!!!
Celebrations in Ethiopia are always an incredible experience, and we wanted to share this with all of you.
We hope you know that by being part of our village, you are making these moments possible.
P1: Our staff and our older boys helping to butcher the ox that is part of the traditional holiday meal. Everyone pitches in!
P2: Hannah helping to set up plates for the meal.
P3: The meat being cooked on a traditional outdoor cooking pan - again, everyone helps with the cooking and preparation process.
P4-P6: Smiles!!
P7: Our two directors, who, with our whole amazing team, make these holidays so special for all the children.

We are so incredibly grateful for each and every one of you. Your support is so important, and makes such a very real difference.
Thank you for choosing to be part of our village, for choosing to be the change you want to see in the world.
Melkam Addis Amet!!!!
With Gratitude,
The Uryadi's Village Team

We've made a lot of exciting announcements in these newsletters in the last few weeks, which is always such a privilege....
09/06/2026

We've made a lot of exciting announcements in these newsletters in the last few weeks, which is always such a privilege. We LOVE sharing all the big moments, all the things that this global village has achieved, and how much of a big impact all of you are having by supporting our work.
But sometimes, it's so sweet to think about where we are in the small moments, and how much love, hope, and connection the village is home to now.
The village has become a beautiful, safe, and loving home, and our children's daily lives are calm, secure, and full of all the things that every child should have - love, support, good food, quality education, and most of all, good people in their lives who care about them and make sure they know they matter.
These are the homes our children live in. They are beautiful, safe, and the house mothers and children take great pride in them.
There are green lawn spaces in front of these houses where the children and the housemothers and other staff can hang out together.
Foosball is a big hit with the kids, and this foosball table is covered so that even in the rainy season, they have somewhere dry they can play.
Even the staff love it!!
All of our children get to spend time ALL over the village.
The relationships being built, the opportunities to grow, and the amazing love and support that is growing and blossoming in every corner of the village is so beautiful.
Every child in our care is so loved, so cherished, and precious to us. We know they can feel that, and we are so thankful for each and every one of them, to have the gift of loving them every single day.
Our newest mural says it all - at the village, kindness rules.
Each and every one of you who are part of our global village are part of making this possible. Your support and your presence as part of our village helps to make these kinds of outcomes happen.
Thank you so much for choosing to be part of our village, we cannot do this work alone, and we are so grateful for you.
With Gratitude,
The Uryadi's Village Team

We have another VERY BIG milestone to celebrate with you.Last week, we celebrated our first high school graduates, which...
08/30/2026

We have another VERY BIG milestone to celebrate with you.
Last week, we celebrated our first high school graduates, which was such a huge moment for all of us, least of all the two amazing young men who did the graduating!
But as of this last week, we were informed that we have even more to be excited about.
In Ethiopia, every high school graduate has to take a national exam in order to qualify to attend one of the country's universities. The results of this exam are extremely important, as you cannot attend university without passing this exam. This exam also determines where you will go to university, so you can imagine how important this is!
Nigatu and Wondimu took their exams in July, and our entire team has been waiting and praying and hoping and wondering what the results would be. Both Nigatu and Wondimu studied ALOT, and were clearly determined to do everything they could to do well at these exams.
They have had the constant support our onsite education staff, who help tutor and guide our children on their academic and educational paths, something that many children in Ethiopia do not have access to.
This last week, we finally got the news and it is truly something to celebrate. Only 4-5% of the high school graduates in our region passed, and our two amazing young men were among them. Also, their scores on the exams were very very good!!!!
These two wonderful young men have come so far - they were little boys when they came into our care, and it has been such a gift to be part of their lives as they have grown up. We are incredibly proud of both of them, and cannot wait to see what they do in life. No matter what, they will always know that they are loved, supported, and that we are always here for them, just like a family should be.
This moment in time is truly special for us. This marks the very first in what we know will be a long list of children who grow to adulthood, and who's lives go in a direction very different from where they might have gone if not for YOUR support.
What our children have access to is truly life changing, and can make the difference between a life of struggle and suffering, or a life marked by growth, individual success, and feeling supported and able to meet life's challenges because they are not alone.
Each and every one of you who are part of our global village are part of making this possible. Your support and your presence as part of our village helps to make these kinds of outcomes happen.
Thank you so much for choosing to be part of our village, we cannot do this work alone, and we are so grateful for you.
With Gratitude,
The Uryadi's Village Team

We are always so proud to share about our Kindergarten graduates after our summer trips. And this summer was no exceptio...
08/23/2026

We are always so proud to share about our Kindergarten graduates after our summer trips. And this summer was no exception.
Our onsite early education Montessori school, operated in partnership with amazing support from AEF Moringa, has graduated another class of kindergarten students, and we are so proud of them. Each and every child who graduated this year is now much more prepared to move on to the next stages of education than they would be if this program didn't exist.
And we want them to know how very proud we are of their success.
But we're also celebrating a very important milestone for UV - our very first high school graduates!!!!
Nigatu and Wondimu have officially graduated from high school, and are now ready to take their next steps into the world of higher education.
These two young men have shown what is possible when we give our children the support and opportunity to succeed, and we want them to know how incredibly proud we are of them, and the path they are paving for every one of our other children.
We cannot thank our amazing village of support enough for making this exciting day possible - for
Each and every one of you who are part of our global village are part of making this possible. Your support and your presence as part of our village helps to make these kinds of outcomes happen.
Thank you so much for choosing to be part of our village, we cannot do this work alone, and we are so grateful for you.
With Gratitude,
The Uryadi's Village Team

08/18/2026

Here are a few goal highlights from the summer tournament our teams are competing in!

All of our teams have been playing incredibly well, and we are so proud of the dedication, teamwork, and determination the children have shown on the field. Their progress demonstrates what young people can achieve when they are given the opportunity, encouragement, and resources to develop their talents.

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who continues to support Otona Uryadi’s Football Club. Your generosity makes it possible for these children to train, compete, grow in confidence, and experience the joy of being part of a team. We could not do this without you!

Address

PO Box 1086
Sandpoint, ID
83864

Telephone

(425) 785-6427

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Uryadi's Village posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Organization

Send a message to Uryadi's Village:

Shortcuts

Share

Category