Education
Where We Started
The
annual income of most rural farmers is $100-200/year. There are often 8 or more
children in a family. In Muslim families, there can be 2-4 wives and their
children for each man to support. Under these common circumstances, many
children fall through the cracks and never get an education. Instead they are
used as labor to try to help feed their families.
Public schools are available, but not mandatory and have an average of 80 students and as many as 100 students per class. The private school has 25-30 students in a class, higher paid teachers, improved facilities and equipment. Those students in private school have a much greater chance of obtaining the education and skills they need to improve their lives.
What We Have
Done
In January 2006 we established a formal scholarship program that has allowed young men and women of the village attend the local private school. The private school provides a much higher level of education than the overcrowded public schools in Ethiopia. Additionally, we have supported improvements in the local public schools through donations to construct buildings, purchase desks and chairs and providing countless school kits and supplies.
In 2007, with the help of our corporate sponsor, Foresight Management Services, Inc., we started the “Dagoo Harawaa.” This program educates a child at the private school, provides education for parents, supports the public schools while employing the father to do community service projects that benefit the entire village. This program started with 48 families sponsored in September 2007 and grew to 100 by January 2008. Plans are to combine the current scholarship program students into the Dagoo Harawaa program by the end of 2008.
In 2007 we also started a relationship with Children, Incorporated. Children, Incorporated is a non-profit organization that raises money to help pay for the education and support of needy children throughout the world. This program has provided educational funding for dozens of children from the local village area of Kersa Illala.
In
February 2008, we built a women’s education center in the Village of Hope
compound. This center will be used to provide special training to the young
women within the HRCC program as well as
others in the village. It is designed to teach mothers in the village to be literate, to fix balanced and nutritious meals,
to understand the rudiments of disease and its causes, to understand the
importance of sanitation and hygiene. The center will also provide
opportunities for mothers to learn occupations and qualify for micro credit
loans, enabling them to help provide for the economic needs of their families.
Current Projects and Future
Plans
1. Private Education for 500 Children. When we combine the scholarship and Dagoo Harawaa programs together, we will have 150 students enrolled at the private school. We plan on increasing to at least 500 students receiving this benefit.
2. Women's Group. Develop a women’s group that will meet regularly. This group will help participants understand their individual worth, exercise charity, nurture those in need, strengthen and protect families and serve and support one another.
3. Public Schools. Continue to improve the public schools in thevillage by providing books, school kits and manpower to
improve the schools physical appearance. We will coordinate efforts to increase the community’s support of the public schools. We will support the schools effort to become accredited as a high school, making attendance more practical for the youth in the village.
4. Educate Fathers and Mothers. Provide quality monthly education for Fathers and Mothers on topics that will help strengthen their families such as: healthcare, first aid, sanitation, immunizations, improved farming techniques, small businesses, micro-financing, leadership, nutrition and handcrafts.
How You Can Help: