Fundame Completion Party

"Hulet woof ba aundt dinga" - Two birds with one stone.

Background:

In under seven months, Ethiopia Reads has constructed two schools and one library in the Kembata region of southwest Ethiopia.  On Friday April 12th, the Fundame schools completion was celebrated by villagers near and far as an example of what a community can achieve when supported and guided effectively.  286 different community members banded together to create a structure that will serve the entire population for generations. The school is beautiful today, and with regular maintenance those aesthetic qualities will persevere for decades.  

Fundame's new addition to its present 1-8, will provide greatly needed KG education for Fundame's children, as well as provide a base for further Ethiopia Reads programming in the area.  Previously, children entered first grade with little to no exposure to even the fidel (alphabet).  Consequently students quickly fall behind and  over the coming years problems dangerously snowball.  High rates of students drop out at an early age, while over 70 percent of those that continue onward are able to meet the national testing standards.  What that means, less then 5 percent of the regions students enrolled in government public schools graduate from university.  Pre KG and KG education offers an opportunity to better enable Fundame's children to succeed.   

The school is almost completely built of organic materials.  A well constructed wooden frame supports the schools walls and corrugated roofing.  Walls consist of split timbers with multiple coatings of cob and plaster on the interior and cob and cement on the exterior.  Meanwhile the flooring is created by the construction of a large cement slap sitting on top of a foundation of tightly compacted boulders.  Doors and windows are made locally by Kembatan artisans, and 100% of the organic material used in the school construction was procured within five kilometers of where the school sits.  

The Celebration:

..was a beautiful occasion, broken into numerous moments that will  resonate with participants well into the future . Nearly 120 shamegalees (village elders) traveled to to the build.  The community, lead by these village elders, each pitched in a small amount to purchase additional food and beverages for the celebration.  The community felt strongly that the project and its supporters deserved a gradios party for a significant amount of the community. Fundame is the 4th school I have built with Ethiopia reads, yet this sort of community initiative is a first for me.  Ejigu and I were both greatly moved by the communities decision, and shared our admiration following the presentation of the additional food and drink. During the program, five village elders, unprompted, used the occasion to further galvanize the community. Each spoke to different aspects of the process of bringing the project to fruition, however each returned to a central theme; the building of a stronger Fundame community. 

Through ER's unique participatory leadership, and assimilation into the community, temporary workers didn't feel the disconnect that permeates through almost all other "foreign development" work in the region.  ER invited the community into most facets of the management of the build.  We requested that offer their own advice on building the school, and how best to effectively succeed in its completion.  Village elders, community leaders and school administrators often met with Ejigu and myself to discuss concerns as well as offer constructive feedback through the entire build process.  Meanwhile the entire ER field team lead through action as well as command.  Sallamnesh, Tamesgin, myself and even Ejigu on occasion, worked alongside the Fundame community in show of solidarity.  More importantly still, is ER's efforts in providing first hand training in multiple types of organic construction.  Workers left the site not only with salary in their pocket, but also with skills that they could use to garner future employment.  Even in construction its not just about the end product, but the process that creates it.  

The program lasted nearly 3 hours, culminating in the devouring of tens' of kilos of freshly prepared lamb.  It was a remarkable showing of community support.  Going into the Ethiopian rainy season, Fundame's future beneficiaries and ER alike can rest assured that the school is in good hands.  A dedicated community and organization, that will work together well into the future to ensure the high quality of early child education in the area. 

Once again I want to take the time to thank the Moss family for its tireless effort to organize multiple fundraisers, and connect like minds to make this project possible.  Their love and support has gone beyond what any organization could ask of its donors, and all of us here at ER, Fundame, and Azedebo thank you deeply.

*big thanks also goes to my sis for assisting on the photos.  

Sallamnesh and I installing the door before the party kicked off

Kololo successfully entertained the kids during the pre-party setup

Jossi prepping his meat knives for butchering 

Village elders start flowing in

1 of 2 to be butchered.  Isnt this guys wreath of flowers rad.

Ejigu was asked to assist in the first slaughter

The ER and Azedebo team takes a seat and waits for the procession of village elders.  

Program begins

Ejigu talking through what else ER/ Tesfa do

One of the school administrators helped with the translations into the local language

Presentation of the construction skill training completion certificates  

The ladies ready the ingredients and the fire

Trimming the skin. Not the fat.  Thats where the flavors at.

Village elder takes time to talk about the importance of the community
assisting in the schools future admin and maintenance of the build.  He
also shared some very humbling words about the ER work team. 

A community leader takes the floor 

Ashu and I did some Q and A with those in attendance 

Everyone was enjoying themselves.

The feast is readied 

The finished product. 

Birds start swarming in looking for scraps 

Ashu was happy to assist in prep again

Ra-ey Soccer

Before leaving Addis for Kembata-Tembaro, Kahlyn and I made a visit to a Ra'ey Youth Soccer Organization practice.  Kahlyn and I both grew up playing (Kahyln continued on to play on Seattle University's Division 1 program), and share a joy in  helping to provide access to the beautiful game.  My shoulder forced me into being the photographer of the day, while Kahlyn happily suited up. She was the lone girl on the field, but easily held her own, and gained the respect of the players and coach along the way.

Mikyas Woldemichael, a very good friend of ours, created the Ra'ey Organization during his trip to Addis last year.  While I was back in the States, Mikyas lived at my place in the Jan Meda neighborhood.  He noticed that many of the communities kids would fill the allys kicking around playing soccer using balls of bound discarded plastic bags.  Mikyas inquired if the kids would be interested in forming a team, so they could play competitively in Addis's youth club leagues, he received a unanimous... of course!  Mikyas took it upon himself to purchase some basic resources, balls, jerseys, socks and began coaching the team once a week. He received an out-pour of interest.  Over 25 kids excitedly met every Saturday morning to learn and play the sport they all cherished.

In late September Mikyas was returned to the States to finish his University Education and dedicate gimself to fundraising for the organization.  Before leaving, he hired an experienced coach, and since the Ra'ey club has continued.  Since last summer the small neighborhood team has grown greatly in management, number of players, and coaching.  The team is playing competitively, and is looking forward to expanding the club further.  In two weeks time the first girls try-out will be held.  The coach is hoping to field a woman's team before the rainy season begins.  Awesome huh?

Currently The Ra'ey board of directors (Mikyas moves fast) and Ethiopia Reads are discussing the integration of Ra'ey's programming with Team Tesfa and Ethiopia Read's Sports for Development.  I am thrilled to assist in laying the ground work for what will become a driving force in pairing sports with educational opportunities in Ethiopia.

Be sure to check out the Ra'ey Youth Soccer Organization's newly crafted website. You can read more about the club, the long term goals of the organization, as well as donate to the cause.

http://raeyyouthsoccer.org

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Fundame; it begins

Whats next: 13 km up the road to Mudula sits the Fundame 1-8.  The schools been around for over a decade educating the communities children, and doing their best to prepare them for the local high school in Shinshicho.  There is a library, but since its creation it has relied  on a meager collection of a couple hundred out-dated books for its nearly 1000 students. In short, the schools students, like most on the road to Mudula, are unprepared when they begin first grade, and they lack the supporting literacy resources to assist them in their preparation for high school.  Consequently, these inadequacies paired with numerous other factors lead to an estimated 70 percent failure rate of Shinshicho high school seniors of the national exam.

Starting this past Satuday, Ethiopia Reads began the process of preparing the community for the implementing of the construction phase of a much needed KG and the sponsorship of a ER library.  

What that means:  Ethiopia Reads will be empowering the local community to work together to build a structure that will better that when finished will prepare Fundame's young minds for the rigors of primary, middle and high school.  In addition ER will hire local artisans to craft furniture for the schools students and staff as well as bookshelves to house 3,000-5,000 new and up to date volumes.  No drastic change will occur overnight, but the cumulative effort of on going support from ER, the Fundame community, and inspirational people like the Moss family will ensure that those critical changes will one day happen.

How were doing it: Today was the big talk with the labor force.  Over 400 people showed up.  It was a long one, but a successful day lead effectively by Ejigu, Temesgin and a couple select village elders.   The ER projects were talked through at length, ER expectations of temporary workers were explained, contracts were gone over, and the ER temp worker lottery was put to use.  

Each of the 183 men and 221 woman's names were recorded on master lists and then copied on small cuts of paper. The names were then separated by sex and placed in their respective bins to be drawn out by the attending village elders.  May sound a little goofy to some, but its a fair, and very importantly, a transparent way to chose our weekly work force.  It also takes me and the ER field management team out of the blame game of "why dont I get to work this week."  Every name drawn is listed on paper in chronological order, and will be posted on the schools outside gate to help remind the community of when each person is expected to report for work.  

Tomorrow 12 woman and 8 men will work together to begin the process of leveling the land.  3 days latter we will digging post holes, and erecting a fence.  It will go fast, so make sure to check in from time to time.  

The introductions

Ejigu taking center stage when discussing daily pay rates

Ejigu getting some assistance from one of the Fundame school teachers

Fe of the ladies listening in

Ejigu playing securit guard as we record all the names.  2 at a time.

Temsgin, Getan, and a volunteer from Fundame working together to record names

One of the piles begins

44.5 meters by 21 meters of potential