ATSE School
Addis Ababa
Ethiopia

 

(click here for info on the next FUND-RAISING DAY)

 

(This page is published by some of the friends of ATSE School. The school does not have the

resources to maintain it’s own web site. We are hoping simply to inform and widen the circle of

friends that the school has. Please be generous with your thoughts and gifts.)

 

           

 

Atse Tekle Ghiorgis School began in the 1960’s as a centre for educating the children of leprosy victims and handicapped people who were ostracised by society. Today it continues to help the poorest of the poor who are not able to attend government schools because of registration fees and the cost of uniform. Here there is no registration fee. As regards the uniform, the parents are asked to pay for the material, and the school pays for the making of the uniform. So the cost to the parents is small and they can pay by instalments. It is good for the dignity of the family to make a contribution towards the cost. In addition to receiving education the school also provides a simple daily meal which may be porridge, beans or bread. For some students this is the only meal that they get and one frequently sees students putting food in their pockets to take home to their siblings. Medical care is also provided. The alternative for these children is begging on the streets of Addis. There are large numbers begging there including children who beg late into the night.

      

 

The words of Sister Mary Mitchell who helps run ATSE –

 

“At present there are 869 students registered at the school from Kindergarten to Grade 8. There are two shifts starting at 8 o’clock in the morning and finishing at 5 o’clock in the evening. That means that the students attend class for half a day, which is the same as the government schools. When they are not in class they are free to use the library and do their homework, as they do not have the facilities at home because of poor housing which may consist of one room and also over-crowded conditions. As many as four families can be living in one small room.”

 

 

“The school is situated in the Ketchne area of Addis Ababa - one of the poorest areas of the city. It is very difficult to describe the poverty that most of the children live in. Some of the children are orphans, others come from single parent families where the parent may be blind or a victim of leprosy and in cases where there are two parents both may be blind. Here in the compound of the school as well as on the streets one can regularly see children leading blind parents or grandparents. The main source of income for these people is begging. The children lead them to a particular site before they attend school and collect them after school. One student told me that her father begs to feed the family. The mother has no hands - a victim of leprosy. There are some families who engage in small income generating activities such as making Injera (a local food), washing clothes, selling small quantities of fruit and vegetables and selling lottery tickets.”

 

      

 

The school depends totally on donations for its existence. It has no other source of income. The staff and students appreciate very much the efforts made by all their benefactors and include them in their prayers.

 

Donations, whether financial or in the form of much needed school equipment, can be sent direct to

 

ATSE School,

PO Box 28,

Addis Ababa,

Ethiopia.

 

      

 

If you have any questions, or prefer to deal with a UK contact, please contact Sister Anne Fitzgerald at

 

Sisters of Charity of St Vincent De Paul ,

Provincial House,

The Ridgeway,

Mill Hill,

London NW7 1EH,

Tel: 020-8959-2257.

 

Be assured that EVERY PENNY raised goes toward the running of the school.

 

(Click here for some further reading about Ethiopia.)

 

Thank you !!

 


 

 

 

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