The Entoto Beth Artisans was started by the Beza International Ministries in response to the influx of people living with HIV/AIDS into Entoto, a region on the edge of Ethiopia's capital city, Addis Ababa. Believing that developing income generation was a much better form of assistance than simply handing out aid, Beza Ministries established an income generation project. They chose jewelry making because it is not strenuous, and requires little equipment or other infrastructure.In addition to income opportunities, the project provides adult literacy and math classes for artisans, as well as a parents' program focusing on nutrition and discipline, and a children's after-school tutoring program. Ten Thousand Villages began purchasing from the Entoto Beth Artisans in 2009.