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published August 23, 2018
Ethiopia – the world's most heavily populated landlocked country with a very high population growth rate is one of the poorest countries in the world. About 49 per cent of the population is undernourished. With an area of about 530 km2 the capital city of Addis Ababa is located in the heart of the country at the foot of Mount Entoto at an altitude of between 2,200 and 3,000 m. It, thus, ranks third among the world's highest capital cities and is the highest situated capital city in Africa.
Many children and juveniles in Ethiopia are deprived of school education. On average, children go to school for 2.6 years in Ethiopia. The school attendance rate ranges between 80 and 90 per cent among boys and girls. But barely 53 per cent of them graduates successfully. School buildings are often dark huts made of straw and wood and are located a long way from where most young people live. Offering them prospects for the future is of crucial importance for the country and for us – a reason to make a contribution to this process.
When our colleague, Mr Matthias Klarl, visited Mekdela Primary School in Addis Ababa, it soon became clear that help is urgently needed there. The school has existed since 1962, is attended by 1,500 pupils and has a staff of 82 teachers. The kitchen and canteen were built about 3 years ago, after it had been noticed that some children could no longer concentrate and some of them fell asleep because they did not get enough food at home.
In 2017, thanks to the great assistance of local colleagues, we were able to support the school in Addis Ababa by providing extensive kitchen equipment and furniture for the canteen. The joy among the teachers, kitchen staff and, of course, children, was overwhelming. The furniture made by local carpenters, all other items of equipment purchased from local suppliers, and a certain stock of basic foodstuffs bring some relief to the children who spend their lives in difficult living conditions.
For the sum of EUR 1,194 dining tables for the canteen, aluminium plates, plastic cups, a big lockable kitchen shelf, various kitchenware (cutting board, dish soap, buckets, plastic rice barrels etc.) and ingredients for a Christmas dinner were purchased.
Because the project was about school children, our colleagues spontaneously collected donations which were invested in toys and clothes for a good cause.
Tanja Russo
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