In developing countries like Ethiopia, although destitute students technically have access to education, they still face significant barriers to completing their schooling. This study analyzes the impact of the Institute for Global Outreach's (IGO) Student Empowerment Initiative, particularly its monthly stipend, and the university-provided Life Skills Training (LST), on the academic performance of destitute undergraduate students in Ethiopia from 2019-2023. Using a quantitative design, data were gathered from 418 students across four major universities. The study utilized independent samples t-tests, one-way ANOVA, factorial ANOVA, and factorial ANCOVA to analyze the impact of the monthly stipend and LST on the student's GPA. The analysis controlled for demographic and educational variables such as gender, student's major, and family status. The findings showed that both the monthly stipend from IGO's Student Empowerment Initiative and the university's LST significantly increased academic performance, with the stipend having a much greater impact. Specifically, the students receiving stipends averaged an increase in GPA of 0.544 points, while those participating in LST saw an increase of .166 points. These interventions were found to have an additive effect, which means the IGO stipend had the same impact on the student's GPA regardless of LST participation, and likewise, LST participation had the same impact regardless of the IGO intervention. The impact of both interventions was persistent, even after controlling for other variables. The study underscores the importance of financial and academic support systems in higher education for destitute students, and its findings suggest that stipend programs, such as IGO's Student Empowerment Initiative, be expanded to reach a larger population of students in desperate need of financial help. The study also advocates for the integration of LST into the universities' standard curriculum as required training for all students attending college. These findings and recommendations add valuable insights into creating policies and interventions aimed at reducing disparities and promoting more equitable opportunities in higher education. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]