A church in New York City has begun an ambitious new project to provide aid to a city in Ethiopia. Instead of throwing money at problems with living conditions in Ethiopia, the church aspires to help the coffee farmers of Harrar help themselves. They're also excited to build a more symbolic link of support and partnership with the African nation.

• The Abyssinian Fund was established by the Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem. The Church was founded in 1808 by free blacks and Ethiopian merchants who refused to worship in segregated churches and named after Ethiopia, which has historically been called Abyssinia. The Fund is the only nongovernmental organization (NGO) in Ethiopia formed by an African-American church.
• The Fund will be partnering with a co-op of 700 coffee farmers in Harrar, Ethiopia. Coffee is the second most traded commodity in the world (after oil), but coffee farmers in Ethiopia only earn about $1 a day.
• The mission is to help coffee farmers improve the quality of their product, thereby improving the value of the product. The Fund will pay for specialized training and equipment that will allow the co-op's farmers to produce higher-quality coffee beans.
• Once the farmers' income increases, much of the profits will be set aside in a fund for local development projects that will improve roads, education, and healthcare for the whole city.
• So far about $130,000 has been raised for the project. The Fund hopes to earn three times that much by the end of the year. For now, the project is still just a plan. No field office has been opened in Harrar and the farm training has not yet begun.

What can you do?

Buy fair trade coffee and chocolate instead of free trade, because free trade often makes it hard for small-time farmers to make a living.

You can organize an event like a concert or art show to raise awareness and support for a cause like this. There are plenty of workers' cooperatives around the world who could use partnerships, support, and micro finance loans. Register a project like this one.