Yawenta Children’s Center

 October 20, 2008

Dear Family, Friends and Supporters!

This month we’ve initiated some major changes in the educational aspect of the project: Miss Belaynesh the assistant teacher quit in order to go back to school, and we decided to move forward rather than let this set us back. From the beginning I was convinced that the ordinary teaching methods employed in this country (i.e., copying from the blackboard) are not the best that we can offer our children. The only alternative inEthiopiais Montessori, and there are a number of Montessori teacher’s training centers. We managed to convince one young woman fromAddis Ababa, Miss Hiywot, to join us at the Yawenta Children’s Center and bring what she has learned with her. Of course it took some time and effort to not only get her acquainted with our children, but to obtain the special teaching materials without which Montessori teaching is not possible. We had to extend our budget in this area, but I feel it was worth the efforts.

Since we introduced the new system, the children are learning in a strictly child-centered environment, each child having his or her own lesson plan and working on that. We’ve had some surprises in the wake: some quiet children like Mintesenot Teklu have turned out to be very bright and talented; everyone is finally participating in the learning process, according to their own abilities; even Yosef, the mentally retarded boy, is showing at least some interest in learning. The children are still getting used to individual learning, but all in all they have taken to the materials and the way of teaching very quickly and enthusiastically. We can finally see some real progress, even within the space of a few days, in the children, and they get a sense of achievement that encourages them to go further.

Since the report is late (again), I will also add that Jony got very ill again on October 1, literally broke down in school and had to be rushed to hospital half-conscious. He was treated for pneumonia, stayed in hospital for a week and in spite of everything he’s pulled through once more and is back in school – thanks to God. We recently got a CD that teaches a simplified sign language for children with multiple disabilities, and we’ll try to teach Jony this language so that he can start to communicate.

We’ve also hired a new accountant, Mr. Samuel, who is working 10 hours a week on getting the accounts in proper order and computerized. We’ve now completed the bookkeeping up until the end of September, and so far everything is in order. Mrs. Azeb, the mother of our student Kalkidan, now helps us in the afternoons with cleaning, especially washing clothes, as Ms. Tsehay’s work had got too much for one person.

On September 12 (the Ethiopian New Year) the children got their first report cards, showing their progress in terms of knowledge, skills and social competence. At the parents’ meeting the everlasting subject of hygiene was brought up once again, to little effect: We had to deal with lice and fleas and fungus infections and internal parasites as before. We – the teachers, the cook and I – finally got a chance to speak to Abiti’s mother, who I’m afraid is not ready to help herself leave alone her child. At age 5 Abiti is living practically on his own, as his mentally ill, HIV positive mother is out around town begging from early morning until late at night. In the long run some good, caring foster parents will have to be found for the boy.

Financial Report:

We received another donation from Sis. Emma, Tina and our generous supporters from the Quai Co-op in Irelandthis month, including the fantastic multi-vitamins that look and taste like candies and that the children love so much. The girls’ briefs also came in more than handy, and the €670 given will be going directly to the children as before. We also got a set of very beautiful children’s clothes from Ms. Laura in Addis Ababa. This month we’ve spent 16,152.56 birr on the following items:

Thank you once again to all our supporters for making this possible! Also, I’d like to welcome a new sponsor, Ms. Maike Jürgensen, to our Yawenta family. I hope you will enjoy the pictures of the children singing and playing.

            With heartical greetings,

Isheba Tafari

President

Positive Action Charity Organization