What’s happening

DROP AND RAS SELAS DIVERSITY SCHOOL UPDATE

JANUARY 2009

CONTEXT

During a wider visit to Ethiopia in December 2008 and January 2009 I met with Mekdes, the owner and manager of Ras Selas Diversity School, Lafto, Addis Ababa. The discussion was intended to consolidate the existing relationship between DROP (Do Remember Other People www.droporg.no) and Ras Selas School and at the same time explore ways in which the partnership might develop.

HISTORY

A) Ras Selas Diversity School The school was established in temporary rented accommodation in 2006. Students were enrolled in August of that year. This was noteworthy in that the school had existed as Gutteye Montessori School since 1994 on a site 100m from the new accommodation. Earlier in 2006 a construction company claimed ownership of the Gutteye site and demolished the school. A compensation claim is being pursued in this regard. The temporary rented accommodation is unsuitable as a school as it consists of two apartment blocks in which rooms are small, facilities are scarce and teaching is difficult. Nonetheless, the school functions. In the summer of 2008 a new Director was appointed. Some teachers have moved on and new ones have been appointed. Enrolments in the school are 190 in number, from K1 to Grade 10. In 2008 the Primary and Kindergarten sections of the school relocated to a compound close by, with a view to the whole school relocating there if money to buy the compound and build new classrooms can be raised. The total estimated cost of this operation is 1.3 – 1.5 million Ethiopian birr (approx. US $ 122,000 to 140,000).

B) DROP DROP was the idea of a student and teacher at the college in 2006. It was registered as an official Norwegian charity in October 2007 (reg. no.: 991 285 857). DROP exists to raise funds and provide direct support for educational projects in developing countries. Since its formation DROP has had a partnership with Ra Selas School. Members of DROP organize various fund raising events throughout the year. In addition, organizations and individuals are approached for donations. DROP has a public website (www.droporg.no), a PAYPAL online donation facility and a dedicated bank account at Fjalersparebank. Administration costs are negligible, with the Chair covering all banking and other costs where necessary.

CURRENT SITUATION

Ras Selas Diversity School is frustrated in its development plans as it must acquire a new site in order firstly to return to the status, size and condition it was in 2006 as Gutteye School, when architects’ plans for the next developmental phase of the school were in place. The monetary cost of this development is clear. It is also a challenge as this cost rises in line with land price inflation in and around Addis Ababa. The owner of the site to which the primary and kindergarten have recently relocated is willing to sell, but at not less than current market values.

Ras Selas School currently has 190 children enrolled. Of these, approximately 30 have their fees covered by sponsors from Canada. The school itself charges no fees to approximately 30 more; these are children form families living well below the $1 per day official poverty line. School fees are deliberately kept as low as possible. For example, the average Primary fee is 150 birr (US $ 14) per month. The majority of children at the school is from vulnerable families, or are themselves ‘at risk’.

A new School Director was appointed in August, to allow Mekdes to focus her attentions on fund raising, partnership building and business matters.

CURRENT NEEDS AND COSTINGS (IN US$)

1. Ongoing costs of renting the Primary facility and the apartment block for the Secondary section 830

2. Sponsored training of a Montessori teacher for the Kindergarten 280

3. Sponsoring school fees of 30 identified children at the school (per child per year) 190

4. Purchase of Income Generation materials – Stabilised Soil Block Press 500

5. Purchase of Income Generation Materials – Sewing machines 300

DEVELOPMENT NEEDS AND COSTINGS

1. Purchase of new school site and construction of secondary classrooms 140,000

HOW CAN YOU HELP?

There are several ways you can help:

1. DONATE – go to the PAYPAL link and give a donation. Every amount, however large or small, helps. We are currently investigating how to make donations tax-deductible for those who require this service.

2. TELL PEOPLE – spread the word about DROP and RAS SELAS SCHOOL. In the future, we want to be able to disengage from Ras Selas, when the school is back on its feet and self-supporting. We will then be on the lookout for another educational establishment that needs our help.

3. VOLUNTEER – Ras Selas School always needs human resources as well as financial. Read about this opportunity by going to the RCNUWC Volunteer Programme website here. We have been sending volunteers there since 2005.

4. SET UP A LOCAL BRANCH OF DROP – We can advise you on setting up a local branch of DROP in your school, community centre, church, youth club, office, business, even your own home. For further information contact the Chair, Peter Wilson.

5. DONATE ITEMS FOR SALE – One of the ways DROP raises funds is through small markets where we sell souvenirs, artifacts, CDs and so forth. If you have something you no longer need and would like to give it to us to sell, please post it, with a short note explaining who you are (for acknowledgements) to: Peter Wilson, DROP, c/o RCNUWC, N6968 Flekke, Norway.

RECENT PHOTOGRAPHS (December 2008)