Our History

African Friends Shelter is a non-governmental organization offering humanitarian assistance to the homeless in Walita Sodo, Jinka, and Kangaten, Ethiopia. It was founded in 2022 by Kakuta Lobuwa, an immigrant living in Iowa, United States, and his friend Admasu Kidewa from Ethiopia.

The foundation of this organization was inspired by the experiences of Lobuwa, an immigrant working in a shelter. A journey started in 2015 when young Lobuwa sought asylum in the United States to live with his uncle in a low-income housing project. Lobuwa would later visit a nearby shelter for free lunch and dinner because his uncle could not provide financial stability. Lobuwa was so amazed by the generosity and kindness of this shelter that he decided to volunteer at the open-door mission for a year and later work as family support for three years after getting his work permit.

He later proceeded to college for his studies, where he graduated with Art and Science degrees. Upon completing his degree, Lobuwa thought of giving back to his community in Ethiopia. He immediately thought of the women and children fleeing a civil war in northern Ethiopia. He sympathized with homeless people in the cities who live under bridges and on the streets without a meal. He thought of the people in poverty because of locust infestation that destroyed vegetation and their livelihoods. He never forgot about those in need, driven out of safety from their homes because of hunger and starvation following the long famine and drought.

_{Lobuwa and his classmate and professor from college.}

Lobuwa and his childhood friends.

It is against this backdrop that African Friends Shelter was born. Lobuwa shared his dream of starting a life-changing project for people experiencing homelessness with his friend Kidewa, who was very supportive. They decided to run the project in Jinka from their office in Sioux City. So far, the organization has undergone initial government approvals with the hope of starting operations soon.

This organization will have a far-reaching effect when fully implemented because it touches lives directly. It will ignite hope in the oppressed and people experiencing homelessness facing starvation.

African Friends Shelter is a non-governmental organization offering humanitarian assistance to the homeless in Walita Sodo, Jinka, and Kangaten, Ethiopia. It was founded in 2022 by Kakuta Lobuwa, an immigrant living in Iowa, United States, and his friend Admasu Kidewa from Ethiopia.

Lobuwa and his classmate and professor from college.

Lobuwa and his childhood friends.

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_{Lobuwa and his classmate and professor from college.}