2012 Aged 16 years
Mengistu is now in grade 12 at the preparatory school. Next year should see him at University.
He has done well in grade 11, scoring an average of 82.3%, and it has been agreed to continue his support of 500 Birr per month with 2 performance related bonuses, paying up to 250 Birr each.
2012 Aged 18 Years
Wubetu is now in his final year at the vocational school studying tour guiding. As both his parents are dead, the money we give him helps to support the family in addition to keeping him at college.
He has great ambitions to run his own company in the future.
It has been agreed to continue his support of 500 Birr per month for a third year with 2 performance related bonuses, paying up to 250 Birr each.
In addition to Almaz, funded by Bude Methodist Church, these 6 students take our 2012 intake up to 7 new students.
2012 Age 14 years
I met this young boy when he was carrying crates of beer, sacks of flour and sugar etc. for Ben Abeba.
He is from the countryside and both his parents are dead. He is now in Lalibela to continue his education, but has no family to support him. As school is only half a day, he works the other half day to earn money to pay for a rent house and to buy food.
He is now in grade 10 and has great ambitions for his future.
It has been agreed to give him 500 birr per month + 2 performance related bonuses of up to 250 birr each.
What really impressed me about him was his desire to work and earn money rather than beg on the streets, as many youngsters do. The money we give him every month will let him concentrate on his studies.
2012 Aged 24 years
Adane must win the prize for determination!
He was one of our very first students when the fund started in 2009. His mother died one month before the grade 10 national exams and he did not do well enough to get into grade 11. His funding from us stopped and he was our only ‘failure’ in the first year.
He resat his grade 10 exam in 2010 without success but, in 2011, at the third attempt, he succeeded and went into grade 11. He has just started studying natural resource and agriculture at North Wollo University.
It has been agreed to let him rejoin the scholarship fund. He will get 600 birr per month + 2 performance related bonuses of up to 400 birr each.
2012 Age 19 years
Birhan is from a small village 20 Km. from Lalibela. His parents divorced and his father has left the area. His mother, while working as a daily labourer to earn money for the family, had an accident and is now unable to work.
Birhan scored an average of 80% in his grade 11 exams and is ranked number 3 in his class. He is now in grade 12 and hopes to be going to University next year.
It has been agreed to give him 500 birr per month + 2 performance related bonuses of up to 250 birr each.
This money will help the family to survive and will enable Birhan to stay in the school system.
2012 Aged 14 years
As I said before, it is difficult to find young girls to support. It is still the case that many girls don’t access any education. Those who do are from families with a little money.
Lemlem was born in Yemerehan Kristos, 42 Km. from Lalibela. Her family live by subsistence farming. 6 years ago she moved to Lalibela to live with her grandmother. Her grandmother is very poor and they depend on sacks of grain being sent from the family when there is a good harvest.
Being in Lalibela has enabled Lemlem to access education. Last year, in grade 6, she scored an average of 83%. It has been agreed to give her a monthly payment of 500 birr + 2 performance related bonuses of up to 250 birr each.
2012 Age 22 years
Teshale has had a very difficult life in his early years. He always yearned for education but was beaten by his father when he attended school rather than looking after the animals. His father died, his mother abandoned him and he had very little to look forward to.
An uncle in Lalibela took him in and he had the role of servant in the household. This did, however, let him access education. Against all odds, he has now been accepted to Debre Birhan University to study Economics.
It has been agreed to give him 600 birr per month + 2 performance related bonuses of up to 400 birr each.
2012 Age 17 years
Tsigiemariam’s mother died when she was 7 years old. Since that time, she has had the responsibility to work to support the family. She washes clothes for many people to earn money.
Throughout all this she has remained in the education system and has now gone into grade 12. Her average mark for grade 11 was 78%. She has the ambition to go to University next year.
It has been agreed to give her a monthly payment of 500 birr + 2 performance related bonuses of up to 250 birr each.
This money will enable her to concentrate on her studies this year.
