Ethiopia's President Girma Meets with Ethiopia Reads

On Tuesday, January 9, Ethiopia Reads' was honored to meet with Ethiopia's President Girma Woldegiorgis.

President Girma invted Ethiopia Reads Executive Director Yohannes Gebregeorgis to the Presidential Palace to talk about Ethiopia Reads' efforts to increase literacy in Ethiopia.

President Girma was very gracious with both his time and interest, and expressed support for Ethiopia Reads. He agreed to participate in Ethiopan Children's Book Week, a festival of children's literacy which takes to the streets in Addis Ababa April 1-7.

Preisdent Girma's involvement is just one of many exciting developments surrounding Book Week. Ethiopia Reads is launching Ethiopia Reads Book Week in the United States, with events, fundraisers and projects throghout the country. The American festival will culminate with a series of special events in Washington, D.C.

Thanks to President Girma for his support of Ethiopia Reads! We are honored to include this leader among our growing network of friends and supporters.

Dejache Geneme: Another Ethiopia Reads library ready to open!

Dejach Geneme Primary and Junior Secondary School, the second school to be fully sponsored by Ethiopia Reads, will open in January.

Dejach Geneme is a public school running from grade 1 to grade 8 with 1802 students. Ethiopia Reads provides the school with all the librarian training, furniture and books of different kinds, in both English and local Ethiopian languages.

Other schools scheduled to open in January include:

Chavel's Library and Learning Center at Yewket Fana Elementary and Junior Secondary School, a gift of Noel and Tamara Cunningham of Denver, Colorado

Atse Na-od Primary and Secondary Public Scool, a gfit of Trees for Life, a non-profit organization based in Wichita, Kansas.

Shola Children's Library Welcomes Students from the French American International School of San Francisco

Here's a report from our staff in Addis Ababa:

Friday 22nd December was the happiest day for the children of Shola Children’s Library.

Students of the French American International School of San Francisco, who came to Ethiopia for humanitarian purposes, came to Shola Children’s Library to spend some time with the children in the library.

Lena Yesowhich, Leland Kusmer, Jake Moritz Cary Jones, Drew Peltler, Gabriela de Golia, accompanied by their Elizabeth Cleere, parents and staff of their host organization, Save the Children U.S.A, visited Shola Children’s Library and spent 2 hours with the children.

The volunteers participated in different activities, such as reading storybooks, singing songs and playing games with the children.

One of the volunteers, Gabriela de Golia, gave art class for eight children for an hour and half.

Volunteers also helped with book sorting.

More photos of the students working in the library can be seen on our photo album. Click on the small photo album icon to see our galleries of photos!

Global Fund for Children Helps Pay For Shola Children's Library

A second year of funding to help pay expenses for the Shola Children's Library has been awarded by the Global Fund for Children in Washington D.C. A small health grant will also allow EBCEF to continue a weekend water-for-health for forty of the poorest neighborhood children who don't have running water in their homes. Volunteer Sarah Fauerbach also wrote a series of health lessons for the children.








Due to a small health grant from the Global Children's Fund in Washington D.C., EBCEF is now able to provide washing on weekends for neighborhood children with no running water. Children gather to wash their clothes, shower and get their hair cared for in a special area of the book center compound.

The First Donkey Mobile Library Launched In Awassa

For several months in fall 2005, Yohannes worked on designing a cart and loading it with books purchased locally and carried from the U.S. by visitors Jeanne and Herb Smith from McPherson, Kansas. The majority of the funding for a first Donkey Mobile Library came from the Bergstrom Foundation, First Presbyterian Church, Neenah, Wisconsin and from John Wood and Hilary Valentine. Other organizations that have offered help with the Donkey Mobile Library are Room to Read, a nonprofit based in San Francisco and Biblionef, a Holland based organization Yohannes connected with at an IBBY conference in Cape Town.





On December 31, 2005, "Nigist Helina--Queen of all Donkeys of Ethiopia" came leading the Donkey Mobile Library, which was pulled by two donkeys. Yohannes reports that "Nigist Helina" was elegant. “She really looked regal,” he says. Guests and children greeted her with applause and shouts of "Long live the Queen.” EBCEF’s guest of honor, Weizero Fanaye, chairperson of Kebele 01 in Awassa where the Donkey Mobile Library will be serving, made a speech and cut the ribbon. Students of Ethio-American Friendship School entertained guests and children with traditional dances of the Sidam, Wolaita, Amhara and Gurage people, ethnic groups who live in and around Awassa.




Yohannes says, “Then ‘Nigist Helina’ led the Donkey Mobile Library out of the school compound to the major streets of Awassa. There was quite an excitement as thousands of children followed, shouting ‘Nigist Helina’ and ‘metshaf yisiten’ (we want books). The queen had an umbrella bearer, and people along the street marveled and admired the queen and the library. The chief of traffic police rode on his brand new motorcycle in front of the queen making the street clear for the Donkey Mobile Library. The news reporters were all at hand from ETV, The Reporter, Addis Admas, and FM Radio. The local FM radio announced the event several times during the day and the whole city was talking about this spectacle.”