GROWING TOGETHER: UPDATE FROM ONE HOPE SCHOOL, ETHIOPIA

In its support of the Sustainable Development Goals, WFWP has sincerely committed itself to ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education, and also to promote lifelong learning opportunities for girls and boys. As such WFWP USA continues to support nine WFWP schools in Africa.

Thanks to generous donors around the country, in June of 2018 WFWP USA was able to send $9,000 to one of those schools, the One Hope Garden School in Ethiopia. As a token of the school’s gratitude, the administration expressed their heartfelt gratitude through a letter of appreciation, sharing how these donations will help in creating a possibility of a brighter future for these children.  

The school administration said that the “funds will help assist students and illiterate women in acquiring proper education, who otherwise would have hardly managed to get it.” A portion of the donation was employed in retaining the existing programs as well as helped the administration in paying the school rent.

The One Hope Garden literacy class for women currently benefits 15 women. The faculty emphasises the importance of financial independence to retain the current enrollment rate and constantly motivates these women. The class is held twice a week on Wednesday and Friday.

During the gathering party for foster children and students of the literacy class, Tsahay, wife of a security guard and mother of six children, shared how One Hope Garden changed her life. Tsahay, who had spent most her life illiterate, was suffering from deep depression and wanted to commit suicide due to financial problems in her life. After joining the school, she is now able to read, write and speak Amharic fluently. On understanding the importance of education, she enrolled all her children in school. Her younger daughter Fikirte is enrolled through the Foster Parents Program and her elder daughter is now pursuing Civil Engineering.

The faculty engages the children through thought provoking methods for character building. During the Library Program, the faculty use puzzles, riddles and storytelling to intrigue the students. Recently, the teachers presented students with a riddle: what could three blind men do in order to know what an elephant looks like?  Dawit, the youngest in class, emphasised remaining united to accomplish an appropriate description. Thus, the students learned the importance of cooperation in teamwork. Also, the faculty focuses on teaching vocabulary by using new English words to help them memorize better.

One Hope Garden school was initiated in 1997 as a free literacy education program to further the agenda of educating children. Besides, serving as a primary school, the program also educates women and mothers, helping them acquire skills so that they can earn their living. The program has benefitted hundreds of women and children since 1997.

The ever inspired staff of the school has since worked diligently to help these children build a future. Many of the students in this school are supported through the Foster Parents program. In order to support their efforts, consider a recurring donation of $60 USD per month which will enable the school to admit greater number of students and solicit enough resources to provide a great learning environment.