Ethiopian Diaspora Trust Fund (EDTF) announced the launch of a $3 million ‘Building Forward’ project to build four secondary schools in the most war-affected regions of Ethiopia.
“Consistent with our goal to promote longer term socio-economic development in Ethiopia, this initiative allows us to make the greatest impact at this time given the number of schools destroyed because of the war. This project will contribute to meeting the critical need to provide education in the rural and war-affected areas,” EDTF said in its statement.
“In partnership with the Ethiopian Ministry of Education (MoE), the four schools will be built in the Amhara and Afar regions, two in each region, to serve a total of 3,840 students. After months of feasibility studies and careful deliberation in concert with the MoE, this initiative will enable the Ethiopian Diaspora to have a meaningful and critical impact in responding to the current crisis while also contributing to our mission,” it said.
Key Criteria put in place for School Construction Selection:
The specific location of the four schools in the two regions will be selected based on the following criteria:
– Children are unable to access secondary education due to the destruction of schools.
– The demand for secondary schools which can provide educational opportunities for disadvantaged children is high.
– There is a lack of infrastructure in remote areas making it difficult for many disadvantaged children, particularly girls, to get access to secondary education.
– The lack of security makes girls highly vulnerable to human trafficking, especially when they are traveling alone separated from their families.
Each school will be constructed to meet the standard design requirements established by the Ministry of Education to provide a safe and secure educational environment for students. The requirements include classrooms with adequate space for students, offices for staff, rooms for a library, laboratory, recreation, store, counseling, first aid, latrine, and storage, according to EDTF.
“Our commitment to you, our donors, and to the Ethiopian people we serve is stronger than ever and we remain focused on our mission to support people-focused social and economic development projects in Ethiopia,” EDTF said.
“We stand behind the Ethiopian people and will do what we can to support the rebuilding efforts consistent with EDTF’s mission. We want to take this opportunity to thank everyone for your continued support of EDTF.”