An Update From EEF Ethiopia

EEF launched their new website: EthiopianEducationFoundation.org in December with great success. They can now showcase their work to new audiences, and their stories (on average two per week) provide student sponsors and donors with regular updates about their program. If you have not visited yet, please take a look.

Here are just some highlights of the last three months:

Two EEF students, Asresach and Chuol, have been awarded prestigious full scholarships at New York University in Abu Dhabi:

Inspirational Asresach

Asresach is one of the most remarkable and inspiring young women we have ever come across.

She has never met her parents and ever since she was adopted at a young age of 6 (by an old woman and her three middle aged sons) she led a life that resembled more that of a servant rather than a child. She was their cleaner, cook and general housemaid. They allowed her to go to day school at first, but from the age of 12 she was only permitted to go at night, so as to not interfere with her work commitments in the house.

Her primary school teacher nominated her for an EEF scholarship. It was an easy choice for him as she was not just extremely needy but also charming, switched on, and she scored an average of 97%

Chuol - from refugee camp to NYU scholar

Amazing news, Chuol Ruei Deng – the young man with the big heart and the massive smile has just been awarded a full four-year scholarship at New York University Abu Dhabi, valued at $300,000 (including fees, campus, flights, international semesters, etc)

In 2013 Chuol left war-stricken South Sudan in order to remain in education. He moved to Gambela and lived in a horrendous refugee camp where he came to the attention of EEF, in 2016 (aged 15). He beat over 200 other candidates to one of our scholarship places and ever since has been an OUTSTANDING member of our family.

EEF Gambella School Program

On the 12th of March EEF officially launched their new program, offering educational assistance to young students in the Gambella region of Ethiopia, close to the border with South Sudan.

The area is the most deprived in Ethiopia and a haven for refugees from South Sudan. Many of the candidates are war orphans and they used to live (or are still living) in one of the many refugee camps. They live in poverty, only eating one meal a day and without having access to electricity, water and sanitary facilities. What makes them stand out is their hunger to succeed and to remain in education. Despite the hardship they endure, their candidates usually rank top of their classes of often over 100 students!

With this programme they are forecasting to help over 500 students during the next 15 years.

A few weeks ago they selected the first students. They will officially join the EEF programme in the summer, if they can secure sponsors for them.

Sponsorship for these students (including school fees and materials, a safe room and three meals per day) is only £400 per year!

Kueth

Kueth was born in South Sudan. During the civil war, most of the schools were closed. Therefore, when Kueth was six years old, his mother decided that Kueth should go and live with an uncle in Ethiopia so that he could go to school there. His three younger siblings remained with his mother.

Kueth only has vague memories of his father. He has not been in contact with him in almost ten years and has no idea if he is alive.

Kueth now lives outside of Gambella with a 40 year old uncle who looks after him. The uncle cuts trees for a living. But times are tough as the income doesn’t go beyond one meal per day for the family