This annual report has extended to 18 months. If I had written after 12 months, it would have said ‘everything is the same as last year’. Similar to the rest of the world, the covid virus disrupted the Ethiopian education system. Another disrupting factor was the civil unrest in the country.
We started in September 2019 with the same 45 students we had been supporting in 2018/2019. We agreed to take on no new students in the new session and then 7 young people were referred to us for sponsorship as, for a variety of reasons, their sponsorship had stopped. We agreed to include them and started in September 2020 supporting 52 students.
In December 2020 and January 2021, 8 of our students graduated from University and College.
One of our graduates, Getnet Adane, did exceptionally well in his exams and had spent much of his time at University as the elected student president. The University offered him a place, at no cost, to study for his Masters. He could not do this without our continued support therefore we have agreed his support be continued for another 2 years.
This means that, at the time of writing, we are supporting 45 students.
In the 12 months between 1 September 2019 and 31 August 2020, we distributed
470, 500.00 Ethiopian Birr (approximately £11, 500). The exchange rate is now up to 55 Birr per UK pound so a little money goes a very long way.
Our thanks go to all who contribute to the fund. Your donations give the young people here a lifeline to a better future. I must give a special thank you to my friend Ann Macleod. She was a regular donor to the fund and, when she was diagnosed with cancer last year, she asked for no flowers at the funeral but money into the scholarship fund. £3,700 worth of ‘flowers’ showed how much she had been loved and appreciated during her life. As an educator all her life, she understood the importance of education to everyone’s future.
The fund could not operate without the team of people who give their time to ensure the smooth operation. Many thanks to June, Margaret and Morag who keep everything running in Scotland and to Tefera , Habtamu and Teshale who look after everything in Ethiopia. Thanks also to Simon, in London, who donates his time and his computing skills to keep the website updated.
Susan.
You can download the full SASF Fund Report 2019-20 as a PDF for printing or offline viewing
If you are able to help us then please use our Just Giving fund raising account to contribute.