Ethiopia

From Duck, Duck, Goose to Dancing: Getting Fit with Selamta

This is how the students at Selamta get fit...how do you?

This is how the students at Selamta get fit...how do you?

As runners across the country lace up for She’s the First Run the World campaign to sponsor 100 girls in 100 days, I started to get curious. How do girls at our partner schools fit in their daily exercise? Over the years, I’ve come to learn more about yoga classes and circus camp at the Kibera School for Girls and dancing at the Selamta Family Project, so I knew the girls’ answers would be creative!

Immediately after posing this question to Alix, Kibera School for Girls’ Postgraduate Fellow and Mia Brown, Selamta’s Volunteer Coordinator and Sponsorship Manager, I was thrilled to receive excited responses. Thus, this begins a two-part series on how girls in Ethiopia and Kenya fit in some fun and fitness.

Girls at Selamta practice their dance moves

Girls at Selamta practice their dance moves.

Dancing is one of the favorites for the students at Selamta, and a regular pastime for many Ethiopians. I remember during my trip to Ethiopia years ago, I came across a wedding party and was amazed by how beautiful the dancing was. It was like nothing I’d seen at my own family’s weddings, and as Mia says, “It’s fun to watch and embarrassing to try to imitate.” Though the dancing varies across the country, it is largely unified by the emphasis on shimmying shoulder movements and the upper body. Dancing in Ethiopia is rhythmic, expressive and distinctive. It’s truly incredible to watch, and I’d love to be able to see the girls at Selamta in action as they showcase their skills at Selamta Idol!

Even when it’s not designated playtime, students at Selamta remain active. They regularly lend a hand with chores around their constellation home and hand-wash their clothes each week (a workout in itself!) As they walk to and from school, the market and friends’ homes, the girls at Selamta often walk arm-in-arm.

From soccer to swimming and duck, duck goose to dancing, the girls at Selamta love to play. Whether they’re jumping rope or testing their balance at weekly circus and gymnastics lessons, these girls, as Mia reports, “bend, stretch and balance” their way to getting strong and healthy.

Like the girls at Selamta show us, exercise can be fun and it can help you learn a new skill, but more often than not, it’s best enjoyed with friends.

Walking home with friends after an afternoon of jump-roping

Walking home with friends after an afternoon of jump-roping.

 

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Letter from Mekdes, Selamta’s First University Student!

Mekdes is all smiles at Gondar University!

Mekdes is all smiles at Gondar University!

In December, we were thrilled to share with you the story of Mekdes, Selamta Family Project’s first
 student to pursue higher education! Last week, Mekdes was kind enough to find time in her busy schedule to share with us her first experiences at Gondar University. Below is a letter she sent to Selamta. Leave a comment below to let Mekdes know that we’re all wishing her the best of success at university!

First of all I would like to thank you again for helping me be who I am today and join campus. Before I joined university people were telling me how much hard and challenging campus life could be. So I was very terrified. But what I found in reality is very different. Campus life is not that much difficult. I also realized that if I work hard in my studies I will get good grades.

The other important thing in campus life is having a good self esteem. Otherwise many things can get in our way and distract us from achieving our dream.

The other interesting thing in campus is the different trainings that we get besides the formal education. Among these trainings let me tell you about the training on leadership that I am participating in. This training basically gave us the different mechanisms on how we can acquire the skill of leadership. It gives especial emphasis for women. It enables us to build self confidence, express our ideas freely, participate in different leadership activities and help us to develop various good study techniques. I think leadership skill training is very important for women in Ethiopia. It helps us to own the confidence to be a leader in spite of the bad cultures in our society which undermines women.

Finally, I would like to pass my gratitude to my Selamta family and I really wish my younger brothers and sisters could study hard and join campus like me. Within the next few years, I hope to be successful in my studies and serve Selamta using the knowledge that I acquired.

I wish you a long healthy life! Let God be with Selam!

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Selamta Sends Its First Student to University!

Mekdes, Selamta Family Project's first graduate to attend university!

Mekdes, Selamta Family Project's first graduate to attend university!

A few weeks ago, a message landed in my inbox that completely defines what She’s the First is all about. Mekdes, a student at Selamta Family Project, recently graduated high school and is now settling into life as a university student at Gondar University, making her the first student from Selamta to attend higher education!

Mekdes is pursuing a degree in psychology and is currently enrolled in English, Information Technology, Logic and Intro to Psychology courses. Though her busy course-load and adjustment into college fill up most of her time, she’s eager to join a church fellowship.

She hopes that her background in psychology will allow her to help people. However, Mekdes clearly doesn’t need a degree in psychology to do just that. As the sole caregiver for her younger sister, Mekdes balanced being an incredible sister, powerful role model and hardworking student.

Mekdes values education because she sees it as a way “to acquire more knowledge so that she can be independent and self-sufficient.” When asked what her advice is to younger girls, she advises them “to work hard in high school and finish the courses the need in order to move on to higher education in order to be independent.”

Later in the year, Mekdes will send us updates about life at Gondar University. We at She’s the First want to send her our best wishes for what we’re sure will be a tremendous experience! If you want to pass on your congratulations and support, do so in the comment box and we’ll make sure to pass on your well wishes to Mekdes.

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All Fun and Games in Ethiopia and Kenya

The endless talents of the students at the Kibera School for Girls!

The endless talents of the students at the Kibera School for Girls!

As summer approaches and finals are behind us, it’s time to close the books for a bit and think about fun! I wrote to the Kibera School for Girls in Kenya and the Selamta Family Project in Ethiopia to learn more about playtime halfway across the world. In elementary school, my recess usually consisted of hopscotch, foursquare (the kind with a ball and chalk boxes – not a cell phone check-in!), and funnel ball. However, after learning about the schools’ playtime activities like Circus Camp, yoga classes, Ethiopian and hip hop dancing, I’m blown away by incredible ways these girls fill their day.

At the Kibera School, the girls play outside for 30-40 minutes every day after lunch. Typically, the younger girls dance their way through recess, while the older girls jump rope, read, or talk with friends. However, for two weeks recently, the young girls were entertained by the Africa Yoga Project, a performing arts organization that led the girls in yoga, drumming, singing, sign language, face paint, and hula hooping classes! The girls rotated through the different sessions the first week, and then chose their favorite activities to do the second week. At the culmination of Circus Camp, the girls hosted an incredible show for all of the KSG families.

In Ethiopia, the students at the Selamta Family Project also have time each day to relax and play. Though all of the students have break-time during the school day, they usually also play after school before helping out at home or starting homework. Like the girls at Kibera, the students enjoy jumping rope, painting and drawing, and doing gymnastics, but they also love to play card games (especially Uno!) and futbol, or practice their hip hop or traditional Ethiopian dance moves. Some girls spend their recess trying out new hair braiding styles. One of their favorite special events is Selamta Idol!

Both the Kibera School for Girls and the Selamta Family Project believe that all children have the right to play. In writing this blog, I learned that playtime is more than just a fun break in the day, it’s actually a right protected by the United Nations. Article 31 of the UN Convention asserts, “every child has the right to rest an leisure, to engage in play and recreational activities . . .and to participate freely in cultural life and the arts.” Whether they’re working hard at reading new books or solving math problems, it’s clear the girls at the She’s the First partner schools fill their day with lots of learning and lots of joy!

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Reading Time at Selamta Family Project

Selamta Family Project's own story, An Unlikely Family

Last week, I wrote about reading time at the Kibera School for Girls in Kenya and Kopila Valley Children’s Home in Nepal. I’m happy to bookend that report with an update from Mia Brown at the Selamta Family Project in Ethiopia. Just like the children in Kenya and Nepal, Selamta’s students love to read everyday! From in-class reading exercises to reading for fun after school, Selamta students dedicate a great portion of their day to reading.

The children at Selamta used to meet every Saturday morning to read together, but their family has grown so large they had to divide into three groups! The youngest children have the earliest reading time, and meet with Abel, Selamta’s director, for about an hour. Abel typically chooses Ethiopian fables, or other stories with moral lessons. The older children are often found reading Ethiopian novels long after the school day ends.

Each home at Selamta has its own bookcase that’s stocked with donated books. Most of the children’s books are in Amharic, Ethiopia’s national language. Mia commented during her recent trip she read “Knuffle Bunnies” and “Zak the Yak” to the students.

Of course, I couldn’t write a blog post about books at Selamta without highlighting that Selamta has its own book! Winner of four literary awards, “An Unlikely Family” tells the tale of the children whose lives have been uplifted by the Selamta Family Project. The book was written in collaboration with American volunteers and Selamta students. All children at Selamta have read “An Unlikely Family,” a story about their stories. To read my last post on this book, check out this link. One hundred percent of the book sales directly support the children at Selamta Family Project.

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Drought Brings Dry Spells to Classrooms

 

A young boy's toes go unprotected as he carries river water back to his classroom in East Africa. Tony Karumba/AFP - Getty Images

As an elementary school student (okay, and as a high school student too), snow days were among the happiest days of the year.  I never thought twice about feeling anything other then joyful when school was cancelled because of weather. But for students in Ethiopia, climate has presented a huge educational obstacle to overcome. In January, UNICEF reported that over 450,000 young children in Ethiopia have seen their schooling opportunities threatened by natural disasters and conflict. It seems that droughts leave more than just the land barren; classrooms are taking a hit too. Torn between drought, flooding and windstorms, some regions in Ethiopia suffered a 50 percent dropout rate in just one month this summer. Unfortunately, these dropout rates have become the norm.

Each day that passes of a child not attending school increases the likelihood that the child will not return. To mitigate the devestation, several steps are being taken to get kids back in school before it’s too late. An article published by “IRIN” highlighted the effectiveness of school feeding programs and flexible calendar scheduling. The World Food Programme in partnership with other organizations is spearheading a “food for education” program. Serving a meal or snack during the school day has proven to be a great incentive for parents to send their children to school. Plus, the extra nourishment helps the young students focus on their studies, rather than on their rumbling stomach. A more flexible school calendar allows the children of pastoralists or nomadic populations to migrate when drought hits without the consequence of missing school. The school calendar would be designed so that class didn’t meet during the driest seasons.

Currently, the WFP is still seeking funds to provide assistance to children in Ethiopia in need of food and educational aid. To learn more about how drought can impact a child’s schooling, click here to watch a UNICEF video from 2007 when the same desperate circumstances arose in Ethiopia.

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A Summer of Firsts at the Selamta Family Project!

Students at the Selamta Family Project

Students at the Selamta Family Project in Ethiopia

What I love about being a researcher for She’s the First is that in many ways, I feel like I get to grow up with the students at the Selamta Family Project in Ethiopia. As a student myself, I love learning about the new classes they’re enrolled in, the trips they take, the stories they have to tell. Now, as I complete my first summer internship in New York City, two students at the Selamta Family Project are completing their first internship at World Wide Orphans. This is just one of the many ways that students at Selamta are taking on more and more leadership roles in their community.

While these two students intern, others apprentice at a woodworking shop, photo studio, fruit shop, and office. In the classroom, students at Selamta are also excelling. Fifteen students were placed in the top three spots of their grades, while three girls were placed number one in their classes. Tigist, a star student at Selamta, was named top in the entire school!  Thanks to her 98.4 percent average, she was awarded a full scholarship from the school for next year!

The older students at Selamta were also called upon to get creative and come up with low cost activities and projects for the younger children. With the planning and help of the older students, the kids have had a fun-filled summer packed with crafts and art projects, watching films, playing sports and games, sewing, and volunteering.

Between studies, new internships, and dreaming up fun activities for the younger students, the older girls at Selamta have taken on yet another phenomenal leadership role! Mia Brown, Selamta’s Program Director, reported that the older girls have been busy developing small business ideas. She said, “Four of our oldest girls have done research and came up with the following income-generating ideas: Hair braiding at a friend’s salon in the neighborhood, making wares for the traditional coffee ceremony (two of our girls already know how to do this and will teach others), and opening a juice shop. They are very industrious young women!”

Once again, I’m thrilled to share with you the wonderful news coming from Selamta. It has been a summer of firsts for our friends in Ethiopia – the first summer filled with internships, the first business idea, the first girl to receive a scholarship for her stunning academic record! Have you accomplished any firsts this summer?  Tweet us your good news (@shesthefirst) and support for the Selamta students!

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Mama Wude, Selamta Household Mother

Wude (right) with Meseret, the house "Auntie."

The Selamta Family Project in Ethiopia has been recognized internationally for its family-based support model. In fact, at the 2009 International Conference in Africa for Children, Selamta was praised for being the only conference participant to implement this family-centered approach! Now, this model is the recommended standard for HIV/AIDS focused organizations.

At Selamta, the crux of this model are the auntie and head-of household mother. At every Selamta home, approximately 10 children are cared for by these two women. One of these loving Selamta mothers is Mama Wude, head of the Menelik House in Addis Ababa. Like the children living at Selamta, Mama Wude was also an orphan. She also lost her husband to AIDS. Despite these tremendous hardships, she has found happiness caring for the children at the Menelik House. This past Mother’s Day, Selamta interviewed Mama Wude to learn more about her incredible contributions to the family constellation.  The complete interview can be found here. Thanks to wonderful mothers like Mama Wude, the children at Selamta are growing in a loving, happy home!

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Lunchtime Around the World!

A few days ago, I came across a fascinating photo gallery of school lunches from around the world.  As I browsed through the lunch trays filled with kimchi in Korea to smoked mackerel in Slovakia, I began to wonder what our She’s the First students eat during the school day.  I wrote to the Kibera School for Girls in Kenya and the Selamta Family Project in Ethiopia to see if they could provide me with a glimpse into their typical school lunch.  They both happily agreed!

At the Kibera School for Girls, the girls have three different lunch options throughout the week. Lunch is served in addition to breakfast porridge and a piece of fruit after school.  Some days the girls dine on sukuma wiki, a savory mix of kale, onions, tomatoes, and spices. The dish is topped off with ugali – a Kenyan paste that to the young students’ delight, is eaten with their hands. Other days, the girls eat beans and rice or githeri, a corn and bean dish. Leah Lucid from the Kibera School for Girls wrote, “The students love lunchtime, and also love brushing their teeth afterward with their personal toothbrushes!”

Lunchtime at the Selamta Family Project

Dorowat, a spicy chicken stew, is the favorite meal of students at the Selamta Family Project. A typical lunch consists of injera, a sour flat bread made from a Teff grain.  Students then break off the injera with their hands to eat wat, a spicy stew made with the traditional Ethiopian spice, Berbere.  Most lunches are vegetarian and consist of lentils, chickpeas, and cooked vegetables. Occasionally, students dine on lamb, chicken, and beef.

What was your favorite school lunch? Tweet your answer to @shesthefirst or tell us in the comment section!

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The Story of Selamta

100 percent of proceeds from the book go to the Selamta Family Project!

Whether we’re writing poetry or sending letters (or being published on The Huffington Post, like Elizabeth David!), She’s the First is dedicated to telling the stories of girls around the world.  Our partner school in Ethiopia, The Selamta Project, also shares our story-telling passion!

Selamta published an award-winning book titled “An Unlikely Family,” that shares the remarkable stories of the children living at the organization’s family homes.  At a young age, these children suffered from hunger, AIDS, the loss of a parent, abuse, and poverty.  However, once adopted into the loving support of the Selamta Children’s Project, these young children were embraced into a close, caring support network comprised of new “mothers” and “aunties,” international sponsors and volunteers, Ethiopian professionals, friends, and teachers.  Together, these are the members of the “unlikely family.”

If purchased on Selamta’s website, 100% the sales from “An Unlikely Family” go directly to supporting children and their new families living at the Selamta Family Project.  To learn more about this book that has been honored for its inspiring message of social change, click here.

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Aynalem’s Story

Aynalem recently reunited with her brother!

I’d like to introduce you to a young girl named Aynalem Abay.  Aynalem, a 17-year-old eleventh grader at the Selamta Family Project loves to read, watch movies, and perform the traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremony for her family and friends.   Her favorite foods are hamburgers and dorowat, a chicken stew with injera (the traditional Ethiopia bread), and she loves to listen to Teddy Afro, a famous contemporary Ethiopian singer.  In school, she’s a talented science student and she hopes to be a doctor when she graduates.  Aynalem is also a member of Selamta Family Project’s Outreach Program.  Thanks to this program, she was recently reunited with her younger brother and biological mother!

Born out of the desire to keep children with their loving relatives for as long as possible, Selamta established this program to support children who are living with a parent or guardian outside of Selamta’s Family Homes.  Occasionally, Selamta receives word of a child whose family is doing everything possible to provide and care for their child, but unfortunately doesn’t have the financial or personal means to do so.  For example, many guardians who receive assistance from Selamta’s Outreach Program are suffering from HIV or age-related ailments.  To combat this tragic scenario, Selamta’s Outreach Program provides the child and family with resources so that he or she can continue to attend school and receive adequate care.  Selamta promises each family that if necessary, they will open their Family Home doors to care for the child more extensively.  Simply put, Selamta guarantees that no matter what, they will leave no child abandoned.

Aynalem dreams of becoming a doctor

However, Mia Brown, Selamta’s Program Director, stated, “The need for sponsors is great, especially for girls in our Outreach Program.  We currently have three girls in our Outreach Program who are desperately in need of sponsors.  One of these girls is Aynalem.”

Many of us can relate to Aynalem and her love of reading and watching movies or pop music and hamburgers.  Most of all, I think all of us can relate to her passion to achieve a dream.  Through She’s the First, we connect with and support young women like Aynalem to support our collective dream of brighter future. In the case of the Selamta Outreach Program, we can help connect families as well!  To learn more about Aynalem and her friends and classmates at Selamta, visit their profile page.

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Spend the Summer with Our Ethiopia Partner

Did you make plans for the summer yet? Summer vacation may conjure up images of beaches and relaxation, but the time off is also the perfect opportunity to travel the world and see She’s the First’s impact in action! Selamta Family Project, a She’s the First partner school, is looking for volunteers to spend part of the summer working with their students in Ethiopia.

IMG_5169As a volunteer with Selamta Family Project in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, you’ll directly empower young children to accomplish their dreams. Volunteer projects may vary from planting community gardens to building a soccer field, but all volunteers will be able to mentor, play with, and care for the children of Selamta. A former volunteer praised the program saying, “This past summer I not only had a life changing experience, but we have changed the lives of the children . . . I have made an impact on the children’s lives and the children have made an impact on mine.”

Volunteers can choose to work at Selamta for one to three weeks. Selamta is looking to talk with all interested volunteers – regardless of age, experience, or occupation. For more information on how to have an unforgettable summer of working with children at Selamta, click here. (and if you do, you can definitely guest blog for Aspire!)

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Our Ethiopia Partner Selamta Family Project Celebrates 5 Years!

Selamta Family Project students -- impressive, no?

With the singing, dancing, gymnastics, juggling, and theatrical performances, Selamta Family Project’s students rang in their school’s 5th anniversary celebration with spirit!  Since we’ve last checked in with Selamta, two university students from Dartmouth and Amherst started volunteering at the school.  Using the book The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Teens, the volunteers provide leadership training for Selamta’s older students.  Female students have also been meeting with a nurse to discuss health issues and age-appropriate topics.

Selamta incorporates arts into the academic education.

Selamta is proud to report that Auntie Meseret is attending night classes to complete her high school graduation.  Mia Brown, Selamta’s Program Coordinator, said, “I love that our girls have positive role models in their lives including Meseret.” For those unfamiliar with Selamta’s unique family-based model, Aunties are a unique and very special component of life at Selamta.  Each home includes an “Auntie” who visits six days a week to support the children and mothers of Selamta.  Most Aunites have a family of their own in addition to their new family at Selamta.  Aster, an Auntie at Selamta, cherishes her role in the children’s life saying, “I have a very good relationship with the children.  Basically, I do not differentiate them…I do not tell the difference between them and my own children. And I raise them. Even though they are other people’s children, you should not think of it that way. When they make a mistake or when they get into trouble, you should think, ‘What if it was your child?’ I have a very good relationship with them, and I do everything for them out of love. And I really love them.”

[Editor's Note: Currently, 59 girls and 66 boys are enrolled at the Selamta Family Project.  Thirteen girls are still in need of a sponsorship. If you'd like to sponsor a girl, visit our directory.  For $360, you can provide a girl with an education, school supplies, tutoring, sports registration fees, summer enrichment programs, birthday and holiday celebration funds, and a small savings account.  $800 will provide a girl with all of the aforementioned items, as well as food, clothing, medical coverage, and stipends for her mom and Auntie.]

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Partner Spotlight: The Selamta Family Project, Ethiopia

Selam! I bring you greetings from Ethiopia, home to She’s the First partner school The Selamta Family Project.  As a Researcher on the She’s the First leadership team, I’m our primary liaison between She’s the First and The Selamta Family Project, listed in our directory here. I’ll be blogging quarterly about Selamta’s news and developments.

By sponsoring a girl supported by the Selamta Family Project, you’re contributing to an innovative organization dedicated to creating permanent, independent families in a country where far too AIDS and poverty tear families apart.  Selamta’s family and community-based care model provides hope, support, and education to orphaned, vulnerable children and marginalized women.

The 2009 International Conference in Africa for Children decreed that HIV/AIDS-focused humanitarian organizations should implement family-based care systems in their relief operations.  Selamta was the only conference participant to have successfully implemented the recommended model!  Each of the homes in Selamta’s “constellations” has a head-of-household mother, supporting auntie, and eight to 10 children.  Selamta completed their first “constellation” of family homes in the Bethel neighborhood of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.  Selamta hopes to find sponsorships for all of the children living in this new “constellation” and will soon begin work on an additional living space in a different neighborhood.

Selamta is especially proud of their oldest student, Fitsum Mulushewa.  After her parents died, when she was just 12 years old, Fitsum was left as the sole caretaker of her younger sister.  Although she tried to attend school as much as possible, it was difficult to get a proper education due to her home responsibilities. At 16, Fitsum joined the Selamta family.  She enrolled in high school and thanks to the generosity of a sponsor, Fitsum received extra financial support to attend junior college for three years!  This June, Fitsum graduated from a 3-year university paralegal program.  In true She’s the First spirit, Fitsum hopes to focus on women’s legal issues.  Fitsum’s story proves that an education scholarship can be life-changing. Thanks to her sponsorship, Fitsum will now be able to defend and advocate for women around the world.

Sponsorship for The Selamta Family Project’s education program is $360/yr for school fees or $800/yr all-inclusive — you can fundraise with friends to raise part of that amount or all (if you can’t cover the full year amount, other She’s the First fundraisers will make up the difference and you’ll support her together!) See the directory for more details.

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Kalkidan Girma

 

Meet Kalkidan Girma, a 10-year-old girl in Ethiopia’s Selamta Family Project going into the third grade. Kalkidan finished third in her second grade class last year, and already knows that she wants to be a teacher when she grows up!

Kalkidan came to Selamta when she was 5 years old with her brother Yohannes and sister Tigist after her father died. At Selamta she lives at the Minilik House with her eight Selamta siblings. Her name means “promise” in Amharic.

Kalkidan was sponsored in 2011 by Eliza, an 8-year-old girl who donated her birthday money to girls’ education, and is currently being sponsored in 2012 by Suffield Academy.

Kalkidan (on the right!) at a dinner with her friends to celebrate her academic acheivements.

Kalkidan when she came to Selamta at age 5

 

If you want to leave Kalkidan a message, you can comment below. We’ll collect them and send them to her, and update here when she writes back. (Note: this can take up to six months due to infrastructure issues in Ethiopia.)

 

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Aynalem Abay

Meet Aynalem Abay, a 17-year-old eleventh grader at the Selamta Family Project. She lived in one of Selamta’s family homes for several years and is now a member of Selamta’s Outreach Program, living with her biological mother and her younger brother Habtamu. In school, she’s a talented science student and she hopes to be a doctor when she graduates!

Aynalem loves to read, watch movies, and perform the traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremony for her family and friends.  Her favorite foods are hamburgers and dorowat, a chicken stew with injera (the traditional Ethiopian bread). She loves the color pink and listening to Teddy Afro, a famous contemporary Ethiopian singer.

Aynalem was sponsored in 2011 by a group of moms from New Jersey and is currently sponsored in 2012 by Kaitlin Davis, Indiana St. High School, and Communicate & Howe.

Aynalem and her brother Habtamu

If you want to leave Aynalem a message, you can comment below. We’ll collect them and send them to her, and update here when she writes back. (Note: This can take up to six months, due to infrastructure issues in Ethiopia.)

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Belaynesh Degu

Meet Belaynesh Degu, a 15 year old from the Selamta Family Project in Ethiopia!

Belaynesh came to Selamta with her younger sister Yezina and her older sister Almaz. Almaz had been taking care of the girls after their parents passed away. Now Belaynesh is studying hard in the third grade, and lives in the Dinknesh (Lucy) House with her sisters and her six Selamta siblings. She was at the top of her class last year!

Belaynesh is sponsored by the Oprah Magazine Beauty Department.

If you want to leave Belaynesh a message, you can comment below. We’ll collect them and send them to her, and update here when she writes back. (Note: This can take up to six months, due to infrastructure issues in Ethiopia.)

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Tsion Tadele

Meet Tsion Tadele, a kindergartner at the Selamta Family Project in Ethiopia!

Tsion came to Selamta when she was only an infant with her mother, who started training to become a Selamta family mom. Now she is 6 years old and lives at the Selamta family home called Lalibela with her mom and her seven Selamta siblings.

Tsion is the youngest in her family, and loves to dance and do gymnastics! She gets a thrill out of all the attention she gets from her older siblings. Look at that spunk!

Tsion is sponsored by She’s the First*{Pitt}, who fundraised through the Her Campus Pitt Cultures Clothing Fashion Show in the fall!

 

If you want to leave Tsion a message, you can comment below. We’ll collect them and send them to her, and update here when she writes back. (Note: This can take up to six months, due to infrastructure issues in Ethiopia.)

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