Ethiopian Education Foundation - helping Ethiopian orphans reach university education with scholarships
Last updated 4/24/2008 10:50:01 PM
Each year EEF selects 20 socially extremely disadvantaged students for its scholarship programme and provides them with 4 years of excellent schooling at one of Ethiopia's leading secondary schools giving them a chance to enter Uni and dramatically change their lives through education.
HOW EEF WORKS
We have in place a structured selection process to award our scholarships. Each year, a number or primary schools in poor areas of Addis Ababa send us details of their brightest, yet extremely underprivileged students.
Amongst them we select the neediest ones who are then asked to sit an exam and to write an essay on their family situation and daily life. We shortlist around 50 students whom we interview, personally in Addis Ababa, in December each year.
Whilst students are selected from within a balanced pool from a gender, racial and religious perspective, the final selection is based on academic merit and potential only.
The scholarships awarded by eef includes the following:
Four years of fully paid tuition, for the period Grade 9-12, at our partner school, the School Of Tomorrow, as well as a small annual sum to cover school uniforms, school books and all registration fees.
For each student that joins the programme, eef allocates an external sponsor as well as an internal eef mentor who not only monitors and advises on the students' academic progress but is also there to offer advice about general issues of day to day life.
We believe that the School Of Tomorrow provides the best basis for our students as it enjoys an excellent reputation and has been able to gain high academic achievements continuously.
The students rank top position in the country's standardised National Examinations and entering the school almost guarantees a place at university.
The basic contribution for full mentorship is £390 per year (for 4 years). Mentors are able to provide additional amounts for food or other needs should they wish to do so.
The two core principles by which we operate are the focusing of our resources on a small number of children with high potential and the establishment of a direct relationship between the sponsor and the child.
Another characteristic is that, as a charity, we are very lean when it comes to cost. eef is small, run by friends with full time jobs in London. Due to our size, and explicit choice, we are able to operate with minimal administration costs and virtually every pound spent by a donor goes directly to finance our projects.
Our students now have a permanent home in Addis Ababa
In 2007 we purchased a double plot of land next to the School of Tomorrow in Addis. Construction started later that year and in February 2009 the house was opened and our first students moved in.
Today the house is home to 40 boys, sharing 20 bedrooms, showers, toilets, a communal dining room, kitchen and a fully equipped library with books and internet connected PCs.
Our House Manager Robert is responsible for the well-being of our students and for the day to day running of the house
Let’s not forget the Girls!!
With land around the school being snapped up fast in August 2009 we took the decision to purchase the plot next to our boy’s house with funds secured from donations to “The Big Give”. After receiving a major grant from a private foundation, building work for the girl’s house started in October 2009 and our first girls will be moving in late spring 2010.
To run our houses costs around £30,000 per year. This includes the allowance for the House Managers, a salary for a local cook, utility bills and all other maintenance and running costs. If you would like to contribute in any way towards this cost please Get Involved.
If you are interested in making a donation for our programme or if you would like to sponsor one of our students, please visit our eef website www.ethio-ed.org