From Family to Foundation: Love that Reaches Across the Globe
Our family began with four biological children, each one filling our home with joy, laughter, and deep love. Our two daughters and two sons: Bec, Ben, Max, and Bella, shaped our early years together as a family. Yet in 2010, something shifted. Our hearts were drawn in an unexpected way to Ethiopia and more specifically, to a little girl looking for a loving family of her own. Her name was Meron. She was three years old, living in an Addis Ababa orphanage, and though we had never met her, she already began to transform our lives. This remarkable little girl became the spark that would ignite our mission to change the lives of not just the little boys and girls of Ethiopia but also the young adults and the elderly.
The joy we felt with our Meron inspired us to return to Addis Ababa in 2013 where we met our baby boy, Caleb. A beautiful nine month old, his laughter filling our home each day. From the moment we met him, he was ours. As we held him in our arms and our other five children gathered around to meet their brother, our family was complete.
And now, we want to give back to the country where our family became whole.
A Miracle in Addis
As word of our experience spread, we began assisting other expatriate families navigating their own adoption journeys. What started by sharing advice, soon became a ministry of guidance - walking Ozzie families, scattered across the world, through the quagmire of paperwork, while respecting the strict rules and regulations that govern adoption.
Over time, we lost count of how many Ethiopian orphans were placed into loving forever homes. To know that our difficult path helped pave the way for so many other children and families, remains one of our greatest joys.
In 2015, our journey deepened in ways we could never have scripted. Our eldest daughter, Rebecca, traveled with her grandmother, Joy, back to Addis Ababa. In what we can only call a miracle; they were able to locate Meron’s biological mother. To our astonishment, she now had two younger daughters and was pregnant with her third daughter - Meron’s half-sisters.
In that moment, love demanded action. We could not look away. We chose to support Meron’s mother and her daughters, ensuring especially that the girls were placed in a private school. For them, education was not just about lessons - it was about breaking the cycle of poverty, unlocking freedom, and offering a path to dignity and opportunity.
Seeking Caleb’s Story
Just as it was important for Meron to know and connect with her biological family, it is equally important for Caleb. His Ethiopian heritage is a vital part of who he is and who he will become as a young man. We are committed to searching for his biological family and, should we be fortunate enough to find them, offering the same love and support we have extended to Meron’s family.
For Caleb, this journey is more than history - it is identity. We believe that knowing where he comes from will give him the strength and confidence to grow into the man he is meant to be. Supporting his biological family would not only honour his roots but also help him carry them forward with dignity and pride.
Our Vision
What began as a family journey grew into a mission. Out of this calling, we established the Ethiopia Down-Under Foundation Ltd, an Australian Federal Government approved Foreign Aid Fund. Our vision is to break the shackles of poverty by arming children with an education, providing them with the freedom to build their own futures, restore dignity and create lasting change for their families and communities.
Beyond primary and secondary education, our commitment extends to young adults with the ambition to pursue university studies and trade apprenticeships, providing them with agency over their lives. At the same time, we seek to stand beside the elderly—those who have given so much yet are often left behind. No matter the stage of life, the Ethiopia Down-Under Foundation seeks to provide a helping hand to uplift those most in need.
Our goal is ambitious yet urgent: to raise an initial $300,000 AUD to purchase land and develop purpose-built facilities in Ethiopia, allowing for orphanages that offer children with access to a quality education as well as places of safety for the elderly. But our dream goes further still: to provide medical assistance, vocational training, food security, and community support.
From Ethiopia to Australia, our family has grown and with it our purpose has become clearer. We believe that poverty is not a destiny that a child is born into, it is a chain that can be broken. Through education, opportunity and compassion, we are committed to loosening those shackles. What began in love continues in service, driven by the hope that we can build brighter futures and restore hope — one child, one family, one community at a time. Until dignity replaces despair, and hope becomes a lived reality.
Michelle & Peter Wright