Ethiopian Schools Programme Receives $1 Million Funding Boost

By Josh Butler Reprint | | Print |

UNITED NATIONS, Feb 23 2015 (IPS) - Ethiopian development programme Seeds Of Africa (SoA) has received its largest ever donation: a $1million grant to fund a major education initiative.

Based in New York City, SoA provides a number of free school, food and community programmes in Ethiopia.

The NGO last week received $1million from the Alexander Soros Foundation (ASF), to support Seeds of Africa’s “Dream School” initiative.

“Africa’s untapped resource is its human capital and quality world class education is the greatest equalizer in this uneven world of ours” says Atti Worku, founder and chief executive officer (CEO) of Seeds of Africa.

““With this generous contribution from ASF, our Dream School campaign is off to an incredible start… The Dream School Project is our first step to expanding our model of education to other communities in Ethiopia and Africa.”
The project, launched in October 2014, includes a multi-million dollar school in the central Ethiopian city of Adama.

The school will “[meet] the highest international standards” and “prepare our students to succeed in high school, college, and beyond,” according to the organisation.

The Dream School programme will cater for 600 students, from pre-kindergarten to 12th grade.

Seeds of Africa hope to use the Adama school as a pilot initiative, with a view to replicating the project across Africa. Other educational components include sport and arts programs, and student counselling services.

The organisation also provides medical advice, adult literacy courses, business and entrepreneurial workshops.

“Seeds of Africa has grown from an after-school programme in a backyard classroom to a pioneering Ethiopian school in only a few years,” said Alexander Soros. “We are proud to help fund the Dream School, which will… serve as a model for other African communities.”

ASF has donated funds to Seeds of Africa for several years, including a $100,000 donation in 2013.
For more information, see seedsofafrica.org