Since 2016, we’ve worked with academic, church, and civic partners to serve Ethiopia and other African countries through teaching, mentoring, and creating groundbreaking content. Our core projects are the Neighbor-Love Movement co-directed by Dr. Tekalign Nega and the writing of our founder Dr. Andrew DeCort.
Our Mission, Vision, and Values
Our mission, vision, and values define who we are and drive what we do. The details matter; here’s ours:
OUR MISSION IS TO INSPIRE YOUNG ETHIOPIANS and people around the world TO BECOME LEADERS WHO SEE, SERVE, AND LOVE OTHERS AS THEIR NEIGHBORS.
To inspire: Ethiopia and countries around the world face extreme poverty, escalating conflict, and the devastation of violence. There is a massive need for inspiration: a sense of hope and an invitation to be part of a better future. Our work proclaims, “Your life has precious value! There’s a way to a better future! Join our movement!” Check out the NLM’s Covenant, seven Practices, and call to become Ambassadors.
Young Ethiopians and people around the world: Our world is growing younger. Seventy million Ethiopians are under twenty-five. Thirty million Ethiopians are between fifteen and twenty-nine. Ethiopia’s median age is 18. Three million Ethiopians enter the labor market every year. Ethiopia is a young country, and youth are increasingly defining and endangering the future of Ethiopia. Every life is equally valuable, but our target audience is youth and young professionals.
To become leaders: We define leaders as people who embody our Neighbor-Love Covenant and Practices and influence others. Everyone can be a leader in their personal and professional lives. Our goal is not only to inspire formal leaders but to inspire young people to live with a leadership mindset: “The way I live can positively influence others.”
Who see, serve, and love others as their neighbors: “Othering” is the root problem we’re addressing, which we define as seeing others as less or unrelated to ourselves. We want to inspire young people to become leaders who overcome othering and relate to others as neighbors, people with precious value. This begins with a new vision (“see”) and new action (“serve”) in relation to others. Love isn’t fuzzy feelings and happy thoughts. Love is passionate will and practical work for others’ wellbeing.
Our Vision is to nurture neighbor-love culture that honors faith and elevates human flourishing, especially for the poor, hated, and forgotten.
To nurture: Sometimes IFF creates something new like NLM and our book resources (English and Amharic). But our goal throughout is to nurture -- to care for and encourage growth in -- neighbor-love culture.
Neighbor-love culture: This is a culture marked by human dignity (people have value across our differences and disagreements), dialogue (people can talk to one another), trust (people can rely on others), cooperation (people can work together), and innovation (people can find new solutions to old problems). It’s the opposite of a culture of selfishness and extremism.
Honors faith and elevates human flourishing: We want to heal the divorce between a personal relationship with God (faith) and a passionate commitment to human wellbeing (flourishing). We believe that authentic faith and flourishing fuel one another. Jesus promised, “Love God and love your neighbor, and you will live” (Luke 10:28).
Especially for the poor, hated, and forgotten: Our honorary founders are Wudenesh (a disabled girl who worked after dark in the streets to support her family), Eyob (a wounded boy left for dead in Addis), and Ferdosa (a Muslim girl who’d never heard “Love your enemies” in the face of ethnic cleansing). Our deepest passion is for those who have been overlooked, rejected, or oppressed.
Our Values
Deep Gratitude: We give thanks in all things.
Radical Hospitality: We build bridges and welcome everyone.
Endless Learning: We embrace a posture of humility and never stop learning.
Courageous Responsibility: We strive to do what’s right even when it’s costly.
Patient Hope: We never give up and believe in new creation.
ABOUT OUR LOGO
The diamond represents the precious value of others.
The surrounding spokes represent light and a compass.
When we can see others as precious, we have the compass we need for authentic faith and human flourishing.