Ethiopia is an East African country located in the Horn of Africa. It is bordered to the west by Sudan and South Sudan, to the north by Eritrea, Djibouti and the disputed territory of Somaliland, to the east by Somalia and finally to the south by Kenya. The population of Ethiopia is 116.5 million, of which about 3.5 million live in the capital Addis Ababa.
Statistically, Ethiopia has a negative record: Ethiopia’s literacy rate is clearly among the lowest in the world.
According to data from The World Factbook 2017 of the CIA, the school attendance rate is only 49.1% (57.2% boys; 41.1% girls):
A large majority of the Ethiopian population lives in rural areas and in fairly isolated communities, which consequently creates particular problems related to the spread of education and equitable access to it. At the same time, demographic pressure is causing the number of pupils enrolled in schools to increase, exponentially increasing the teacher/students balance relationship, and thus negatively affecting the quality of teaching.
In Ethiopia, it is not obvious that a boy or girl will go to school instead of herding goats, looking after younger siblings, or helping to grow cereals and vegetables in the family’s small piece of land. At the same time their parents know that they have a better future thanks to school.
“After 20 years of missionaries’ effort to communicate the importance of education for kids, the families of Dawro area have fully understood the importance of education, and that it also benefits them and the whole community.”
This is what declared Br. Temesghen, Capuchin friar from Ethiopia, the new contact person for the “Adopt the school” project.
And this makes us very happy, because it is a sign of hope for the future, it is a sign that something has changed!
On behalf of the Annachiara Association we are really pleased to receive these beautiful news and we are increasingly happy to be able to participate, in our own small way, to ensure that this great educational project grows even more.
Education in certain areas of the world is a privilege for few lucky ones, we are committed to ensuring that this is no longer the case, so that all children in the world can have access to quality education that can make them independent adults and prepared for their future.
The Capuchin friars of Emilia-Romagna, over the course of several decades of mission in Ethiopia (almost 50 years!), have built and given life to 79 fidels, i.e. small schools with earthen walls where children are taught the alphabet for a couple of years. In fact, knowledge of the alphabet is the minimum entry requirement to be able to access elementary education, the problem is that the Ethiopian alphabet is particularly difficult.
Thanks to their work, the missionaries have also been able to build 9 kindergartens, which are larger schools. To continue this great project, a masonry primary school is in the process to being built in Tarcha, the capital of Dawro, the region where missionaries are present.
With Associazione Annachiara we want to collaborate in this great educational project in Ethiopia, and we take it upon ourselves to support it annually through a cyclical donation. The amount we send is used for teacher training, needs and emergencies of schools such as, for example, renovating schools, buying materials, contributing to the fee for families in difficulty, guaranteeing meals at school.
Between December 26, 2024 and January 11, 2025 we will have the opportunity to travel to Ethiopia on a mission and we will be able to touch the work of the missionaries who have been carrying out these magnificent educational projects for decades. In particular, our attention will be paid to the construction of the new masonry school and the organization necessary to keep the school running. In fact, the project includes not only supporting the structural construction of the school, but also support the teachers’ salaries, school supplies, meals and snacks. The great goal is also to support the level of education, the quality of teaching and the possibility of dividing students of various ages as much as possible given the very high number of students.
Help us to support this fundamental project for the education of Ethiopian children, to make them autonomous adults, capable of dreaming and working for their future and for that of their families and communities!
Make your donation online on the Capuchins missions web page: https://www.centromissionario.it/wp/adotta-la-scuola/
Or bank transfer to “Centro di Cooperazione Missionaria dei Cappuccini – ONLUS”:
IBAN: IT 43 Y 05387 6648 000 000 1025855
Thank you so much!
We sincerely thank all our supporters: thanks to your help we can continue to make a difference for the future of many children around the world!
To receive the budget report of the expenses and donations regarding the project of the School in Ethiopia, please contact us: info.annachiara@gmail.com
(Once the project is completed, the final report will be published on our website and filed with RUNTS together with the financial statements in March 2025)
Associazione Annachiara 