FOUNDER STORY — REKIK BEKELE AYELE

My name is Rekik Bekele Ayele, and I live in Hastings, UK. I moved here from Ethiopia in 2023.

Shortly after arriving, I joined a local WhatsApp group for Ethiopian community members. One day, I saw a post about an Ethiopian man who had passed away abroad. Members were trying to organize funds to send his body back to his family in Ethiopia. A GoFundMe page was created, but it took three to four weeks to complete the arrangements.

What stayed with me was not the generosity of the community—people wanted to help—but the stress, uncertainty, and prolonged grief experienced by the family. Community support is strong, yet it can be fragile across distances.

While Edirs—a cherished tradition of mutual aid during times of loss—still exist in diaspora communities, coordinating timely support across borders can be difficult. Families need help, and neighbors want to support, but sometimes there is no simple way to bring people together when it matters most.

It became clear to me that Edir, a tradition rooted in dignity, solidarity, and compassion, could be supported and strengthened through technology.

Digital Edir was created with one purpose: to ensure that no family grieves alone, anywhere, while preserving the values of Edir that have guided our communities for generations.

Before founding Digital Edir, I was fortunate to run a social enterprise in Ethiopia called Green Scene Energy, where I learned how small, community-focused solutions can make a meaningful difference in people's lives.