Life Education for Ethiopian Youths

[“SHARE” OCT – DEC 2019 ] JOIN HANDS JOIN HEARTS

Written by: Edward Lai (Senior Communications Officer)

 

What kind of person would you like to be?

 

When discussing dreams with youths, despite where they live, they somehow think of being a doctor, pilot, lawyer, teacher or entrepreneur. Dreams may fade in a blink, but it may also be planted in hearts, awaiting to sprout. CEDAR’s Ethiopian partner [1] entered local poor communities, determined on discussing dreams, meanings and values of life with youths.

 

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We are awake: STOP Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)

[“SHARE” APR – JUN 2019 ] JOIN HANDS JOIN HEARTS

 

We put on armors to fight to eliminate harmful traditional practices
Subvert the harmful influences and effects
We are united and determined to take actions
Because we are now well awaken to the scourge.

 

Ignorant people in the past
Have been badly harmed by them
Because they did not know any better.
Ignorant people in the past believed
Harmful traditional practices were good for them
When indeed their lives were at stake.

 

Female Genital Mutilation is a major harmful practice.
Sugar-coated as prestigious and noble,
FGM suffocated our mothers
We regret and repent for the harm incurred.
FGM steals away sexual pleasures, corrupts marriages
And adds complications to child birth.

 

(Lyrics edited by CEDAR Fund, originally written by a member
from the ant-FGM group in Ethiopia.)

 

Under the warmth of the bright and serene sun, a group of Ethiopian village and school girls stood before a hundred villagers, and sang the above song with shiny smiles and beaming faces. Some of them had a uniformed yellow T-shirt on, where the slogan “STOP Female Genital Mutilation” was displayed clearly in the local language. This day was the special day of village education day, and also the performance day of the advocacy club.

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Ethiopian Child Sponsorship Programme – Graduates Passing on the Love

Every year in Ethiopia, there are a few beneficiaries “graduating” from the Child Sponsorship Programme* supported by CEDAR. Generally, beneficiaries are no longer supported by the programme once they reached 18 years old, however, we believe that the criterion to “graduate” from the programme shall not be limited to their age. We, instead, take the holistic development of the beneficiaries into account. For this reason, even as they turn 18 years old, we continue to subsidise them in occupational training for 1 to 3 years in hope of a higher chance for them to be employed with a certain qualification. For those that were admitted to university, our subsidy will apply until the completion of their degrees. From 2018, the programme has subisdised 145 children and adolescents and helped 204 parents or guardians form self help groups to fight against long term poverty.

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23 Years with the Most Vulnerable Children in Ethiopia

Children living in a slum in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia

“Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.” Proverbs 22:6

This verse from the Proverbs is familiar to many Christian parents, and it is many schools and churches’ core value on teaching children. So how should we teach our children? Early exposure of different interests to help children find their gifts? Take various courses to educate children about different knowledge? Choose a reputable school and church to help children nurture good characters?

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Please Continue Your Support to Those Under the Food Crisis of East Africa

The food crisis in East Africa brought by drought and conflicts is threatening the lives of 20 million Africans. Members of the Integral Alliance (IA) are working tirelessly in providing food to Somali, Kenya, and Ethiopia. CEDAR is currently focusing on helping Ethiopia through our local partners and member agencies of the IA.

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CEDAR and Partners Respond to Dire Famine in East Africa

Currently, drought and famine in East Africa are putting 20,000,000 lives in grave danger, and imminent humanitarian help is needed. The members of the Integral Alliance (IA) are constantly monitoring the needs of Somali, North Kaya, and Ethiopia and are actively planning to provide relieves.

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