Ethiopia

Since 2002, 342 people have volunteered with projects run by the Vincentian Fathers and Daughters of Charity through VLM. Sr Hiwot, Daughters of Charity Provincial in Ethiopia, wrote the following –

“Each year we are blessed with the gift of wonderful groups and individual volunteers whose generous contributions to our missions make such an impact to our community and to the lives of those whom we serve. Together with all of you we continue to create better opportunities for people who are poor through health care, education, programmes for women, pastoral care and youth ministry, housing support, services to migrants/refugees and victims of human trafficking, care for the elderly, support to people with disabilities, and helping children living in difficult situations. All human beings desire to be appreciated, cared for, loved, trusted, respected, to be understood, listened to and to have a better quality of life. You have enabled us to give these essential needs to those God has entrusted to our care and to accomplish our common mission. The volunteers’ expertise and skills help us to be better organized in our missions and more effective in our services. Through your continuous support and the courageous efforts of our sisters, I hope that our dreams for self-sustainability will become a reality in the near future. It is my greatest wish that our community and VLM volunteers will continue to benefit from this relationship.”

The following funding has been raised and sent out to Ethiopia

€10,000 for Safeguarding Training in Ethiopian Province

Funding was obtained from Misean Cara for comprehensive safeguarding training for 20 members of the Vincentian Fathers and Daughters of Charity in Ethiopia. Post training most participants stated that they were now able to transfer much of this knowledge to other members of their Congregations and to the staff of the various projects they are working in. This has led to improved practice in child safeguarding across the province.

ETHIOPIA APPEAL FOR TIGRAY 2021-2022

€44,400

There was an incredible level of generosity shown by VLM donors towards our appeal for Ethiopia, which raised €44,400 for the Daughters of Charity in Tigray. This money is being spent on much needed food and medical supplies. We pray for peace for our brothers and sisters in Ethiopia and an end to this humanitarian crisis.

Alitena

Annual running costs of the Alitena Youth Centre

The costs of running this centre are funded annually thanks to the generosity of VLM donors. This centre benefits over 5000 youth per year through the provision of meals, school materials, tutorial support, clubs and activities, sports events, skills training and income generating activities. The funding also benefits the staff who can earn a secure income to support themselves and their families.

Ambo

€93,000 for the building of Ambo Lazarist School for the Deaf (ALDS)

Ambo Lazarist Deaf School in Ethiopia (two hours west of Addis Ababa) was opened by the Vincentian Fathers in 2012 with the support of The Ethiopia Deaf Project (VLM), St Vincent’s Castleknock College and Grant funding from Misean Cara (Irish Aid). EDP (Ethiopia Deaf Project) is a subcommittee of VLM and is presently working towards establishing itself as a stand alone charity. EDP currently funds the running costs of the school every year through donations to the child sponsorship program. Plans for the future include the construction of a boarding facility, offering deaf children living far from Ambo the chance to attend the school.

In 2011, VLM was involved in making a successful application to Misean Cara for funding for the development of a Deaf Centre in Ambo, 125km outside of Addis. The school opened in 2012 and has enabled deaf children, especially those living in rurally isolated areas, the opportunity to access quality education through sign language.

€20,000 for the education of children who are deaf at Ambo Lazarist School for the Deaf (ALDS)

VLM subsequently successfully applied for €20,000 from Misean Cara to build a play and sports area for children attending the ALDS, so that students can engage in physical education. A sports ground with opportunities for students to engage in soccer, volleyball, and basketball was constructed. As well as benefitting the students, this project has also provided an additional job for a teacher with the necessary qualifications in Physical Education, who is now employed by the school to give proper instruction to the students.

€200,000 has been fundraised for the Ambo Kindergarten and Social Housing Project over the past 20 years

Approximately €200,000 has been sent to build, run and maintain the Ambo kindergarten and social housing project. Through the Irish Travelling Community two classrooms were built, the toilets, the groundwork and lately they have fundraised for a clinic which is being built.

Bruh Tesfa

Sponsorship of Women’s Education Places at the Bruh Tesfa Montessori Training College

Through donations, VLM is able to sponsor at least one kindergarten training place per year. This enables girls such as Libinesh to gain a qualification and a sustainable livelihood so that they can provide for themselves and their families. With your help we can reach even more marginalised women and provide them with this life-changing education.

Libinesh has finished her studies and has secured a job near her home village

Bulbula

€72,000 for the building of a library, staff room, and toilets at St Joseph’s School

In 2011, VLM made a successful application for funding from Misean Cara to help complete the building of St. Joseph’s School in Bulbula. We were granted €72,000 for the construction of a new staff room, library and toilets. The school has gone from strength to strength with a role of around 640 children. VLM volunteer teachers have taught English here as well as running summer programs.

€25,000 for an irrigation/vegetable growing project

VLM made successful applications for €10,000 from Electric Aid Ireland and €15,000 from INTO Solidarity Fund to initiate marginalised families into an income generating activity using the technology of irrigation and knowledge of horticulture to help them to generate income. The project has targeted women and young people and has enabled and empowered them to create a sustainable livelihood for themselves and their families and to set-up a cooperative vegetable growing enterprise.

Shishinda

€30,000 for Kindergarten

In 2017, VLM successfully applied for a grant of €30,000 from Misean Cara for the construction of a new kitchen/store/toilet, dining room and renovation of 3 classrooms for the Kindergarten in Shishinda in Ethiopia. This also covered the training of two Kindergarten teachers. The project improved the facilities for 50 existing students and expanded the capacity of the school to include an additional 70 students thereby improving education facilities for 120 children. Improving educational opportunities is a key goal of VLM.