Ethiopia News 23.09.22
News from Ethiopia
The government seems to have regained a firm grip on Tigray. If I understand the news correctly, (please do not put my exact words on a gold scale) the government has put a lot of effort into holding peace negotiations during the ceasefire in the last 6 months. Now these have not materialized and the government has entered Tigray in mid-August after an attack by the TPLF and has dealt a heavy blow to the TPLF. Nobody really expected that. In Addis, everything is normal and we have opened our project. However, the circumstances in which we are working here and living in Ethiopia are not normal. With all the potential that Ethiopia holds, it is so painful to see so much of it broken and lost to war.
Project
As I said, the project is now open again as of this week. We have 20 new children in the first group. So there are a total of 60 again (20 in each group). All staff members have come back refreshed and lively. The reunion after the break was great! Elleni is back with her new daughter, Losa, and Tsehay has also started working again. So our team is complete again with no other staff.
Raji is pregnant again, a joy for everyone :)
We restructured our offices at the beginning of September. Mellie is now with Sosina our pediatric nurse and social worker. They will soon be starting therapy together for children from the daycare and additionally the community with physical disabilities. A big step for us as a team and organization.
As I said, the project is now open again as of this week. We have 20 new children in the first group. So there are a total of 60 again (20 in each group). All staff members have come back refreshed and lively. The reunion after the break was great! Elleni is back with her new daughter, Losa, and Tsehay has also started working again. So our team is complete again with no other staff.
Raji is pregnant again, a joy for everyone :)
We restructured our offices at the beginning of September. Mellie is now with Sosina our pediatric nurse and social worker. They will soon be starting therapy together for children from the daycare and additionally the community with physical disabilities. A big step for us as a team and organization.
Land
Several things are happening. My call to the mayor was unfortunately unsuccessful. Security systems keep you waiting in an endless loop. Well, I plan to visit her in person. Our application is currently being revised by 2 friends (who are very busy). As soon as I finish revising our application, I will go see them in their office.
A friend from the church has taken over a large government orphanage with an integrated kindergarten and school. She was asked directly by the authorities. We recently met her and talked about possibilities for joint work on her property, which is close by.
St. Yared
One of the greatest successes and answers to prayer is that all our children who have entered the 1st grade will go to school at St. Yared. We are providing them with shoes and a school bag. The school of St. Yared will look for a sponsor for them. They will then be able to go to this school until the 12th grade. A huge success!!! Every year we will then send our children who are in 1st grade there. Based on a signed contract! Now our kids just have to prove themselves.
A friend from the church has taken over a large government orphanage with an integrated kindergarten and school. She was asked directly by the authorities. We recently met her and talked about possibilities for joint work on her property, which is close by.
St. Yared
One of the greatest successes and answers to prayer is that all our children who have entered the 1st grade will go to school at St. Yared. We are providing them with shoes and a school bag. The school of St. Yared will look for a sponsor for them. They will then be able to go to this school until the 12th grade. A huge success!!! Every year we will then send our children who are in 1st grade there. Based on a signed contract! Now our kids just have to prove themselves.