About Gemini

In Ethiopia 1 in 3 twin babies die before their first birthday – Gemini has brought hope to thousands

Founded in 1983 by a Anglo-American pediatrician, Dr. Carmela Green Abate, Gemini has made a unique contribution to the lives of many individuals. It also provides living  proof of the enormous talent that prevails within some of these extremely poor families.

In the slums of Addis Ababa, twins face a real struggle to survive. Many are born premature and have low birth weight. Malnourished mothers can’t provide sufficient breast milk for the babies and turn to bottle feeding, often with disastrous results; bouts of diarrhea and vomiting result in malnutrition and increased vulnerability. Often, Gemini families just do not nave enough food. In this struggle for survival, death of the babies is all too frequent.

25 years ago, Gemini was launched from an old shipping container in a corner of Black Lion Hospital, Addis Ababa.  With a focus on an especially high risk group of the urban poor – those with twins. Today Gemini is a successful NGO providing a comprehensive family approach to foster better livelihoods to some of Addis Ababa’s poorest people.

Over the past 25 years Gemini has:

• Supported 2,000 families with twins  reaching 12,000 people
• Assisted 1,500 families in times of crisis through it’s Emergency Fund
• Directly benefitted  1,000 severely malnourished children in the on-site feeding program
• Every year provided supplementary food for 300 families with children under the age of 5 years
• Provided primary health care for all its families
• Provided day care for over 700 children
• Supported over 2000 children to go to school
• Supported over 150 young people who have  graduated or are currently pursuing studies at university
• Promoted a unique program using creative arts as a tool for development  (read more about Adugna Dance and GemTV – award winning programs)
• Facilitated start-up capital for 150 people to set  up their own small businesses