Students in many communities of the Mid Highlands of Sasiga, Ethiopia recently got some much needed education upgrades.
In the community of Gallo Janja, a brand new four classroom block is almost ready for students to move into. These sturdy new classrooms are built out of cement block and topped with tin roofs; they'll be much better at withstanding the powerful rain storms than the old mud block school with its leaky grass roof. The kids will also get to sit at brand new desks, and each classroom has been equipped with a new chalkboard. Let the learning begin!
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| The new school as construction was being wrapped up. |
Construction has also been underway at the primary school in the community of Jimata Gumbi. A brand new latrine has over 900 students relieved to have somewhere safe to "go" while at school.
But it's not just good structures that make a good school! To improve the quality of education and help boost student performance, Food for the Hungry (FH) Ethiopia provided 1,152 books for school libraries in eight middle schools and two high schools across seven different communities. There are now over 7,000 students turning the page on poverty as they gain knowledge and confidence from reading books.
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| New books! |
In addition to stocking library shelves, FH also helped 1,130 of the most vulnerable children attend school by providing them with stationary and school uniforms (without which, they would not have been allowed to attend class).
FH staff are working hard to support rural education in the Mid Highlands by monitoring student attendance and visiting the homes of those kids who appear to be struggling. They lovingly encourage children and parents to pursue the child's education, and help them troubleshoot any obstacles that might be standing in the way.
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| Playing volleyball. |
Holistic education is bigger than just feeding the brain; it aims to stretch the whole person, to promote the physical, social, and creative development of children in the communities. To that end, children in the Mid Highlands are being encouraged to explore and develop their own talents and skills through drama, writing poetry and short stories, working on handcrafts, and playing sports. Some of the top performing students from different schools recently competed in these different arenas, and in the process, grew spiritually, intellectually, physically, emotionally, and socially.
Students are also learning about environmental protection through school environment clubs. This year, they learned agroforestry techniques that will help them battle drought and renew their land.
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