African Children's Educational Trust

New Year 2011 newsletter

Our first veterinary doctor graduates and is employed

In a country where there are reputedly more livestock than people (over 80 million) and livestock and skins form a major part of its export earnings, it was recognized that the Veterinary service was weak. Training both medical and veterinary doctors takes time and it was after five long years of challenging study and dogged determination that we are proud of student Amanuel Haftu who graduated with the first batch of locally trained “vets”.

Tsega becomes a pharmacist

Overcoming her polio Tsega left High School with good grades and, like so many with disabilities, wanted to become a Nurse. Persuaded that the rigours of nursing might be beyond her mobility difficulties she opted to choose Pharmacy and after three years dedicated study graduated with a Diploma in Pharmacy to find immediate employment in a private pharmacy.

Both these students are proof that education needs not only a very long-term commitment on our part but that our students have the capacity for hard work in overcoming seemingly insurmountable personal problems but that on completion with their new found qualifications they can immediately find gainful employment in much needed sectors adding towards the better growth and development of Ethiopia.

David launches autobiography

At an impressive evening on 22 Nov in London, David’s new book “How A-CET Came to Ethiopia” (ISBN 978-0955-70411-1) was launched in aid of A-CET funds. Representatives from our EYES Band entertained with Patron Doctor Kassa, Manager Bisrat, “Famine Survivor” - now WFP Nurse Birhan Woldu and our two UK-based post graduate students Ysakor and Sammy attended, so it was a real Ethiopian evening. Also present were Ethiopian Embassy senior diplomats and many of our donors and supporters. To help A-CET and buy the book, either go to our web-site or Amazon.

Trustee Dame Dr Claire Bertschinger receives Honorary Degree

Claire received an Honorary Doctorate in Education from Aberdeen University. See here with our A-CET MBA post graduate student Ysakor Hailu who attended the ceremony together with our major sponsors Martyn & Laura Riley who live in Aberdeen and where once Martyn was a Tutor in Electrical Engineering.

EYES wins Top Award from Regional Bureau of Education

As one of the smallest charities in the educational sector in the Tigray Region of Northern Ethiopia it was our distinct honour to be the first to be awarded this unsolicited Certificate of Appreciation from the Regional Bureau of Education in 2010. To be appreciated and valued by those we are trying to help and support is indeed proof that what we are doing and how we are achieving it is the right way.

Schools opened at Adibaekel & Dansa

Adibaekel Full Elementary School, funded primarily by the Aall Foundation, was opened by Steven Georgala on 26 Sep 2010 and Dansa Full Elementary School was opened by the main funders from the Netherlands Coornhert Gymnasium Rector Marco Oehenschlager & Colette Vester on 17 Oct 2010, Both these schools have eight basically furnished classrooms for eight grades and ancillary buildings. Building upgraded schools in isolated rural villages where they are needed saw a doubling in school registrations this year. Dansa school was our sixth school to be completed in five years. These schools are built with local materials using local labour and will be maintained by the community and staffed by the Bureau of Education - so are effectively self supporting from day one. See the Adibaekel opening ceremony video and photographs, and a video of the Dansa school opening.

A-CET Third Sector 2010 National Award Winner

At a glittering ceremony held in London on 23 Sep local Leicester-based charity African Children’s Educational Trust (A-CET), competing against hundreds of other UK charities wins the prestigious Third Sector award in the “Small Charity Big Achiever” category.
 
A-CET was founded in 1997 and is run entirely by dedicated volunteers. Working through Ethiopian partners, A-CET offers modest long-term scholarships to orphans, the abandoned, disabled, vulnerable and disabled youngsters. Working with through local farming communities it also helps upgrade rural elementary schools – changing the lives of now over 3,000 youngsters in the Tigray Region of Northern Ethiopia, the epicentre of the previous 1984/85 famines.
 
On receiving this award founding chairman and CEO David Stables said “This national recognition for what we are doing is a real boost to our efforts and will motivate us to do more. But thanks to all our supporters, without which we could do nothing”.

Please help us

Our next school project is to build and furnish five classroom blocks for Ziban Albe School near Hiwane which will accommodate 2,000 students in two shifts. Currently these children sit in mud and wattle shacks on stones. This will be our biggest most ambitious project to date. It will cost £178,000 (US $ 276,000 or € 210,000) – already 15% of this has been raised. Can you please help us raise more? Any size of donation is welcome; it all adds up. Help to make a positive difference through a well established award winning educational charity that works with local people doing what they want through sustainable elementary school projects. How to help.

A-CET, PO Box 8390, Leicester, LE5 4YD | Registered Charity 1066869 (England & Wales)
 
A-CET is a member of:
National Council of Voluntary Organization (Member 6689)
The Institute of Fundraising (Member Z84753)
The Fund Raising Standards Board
ImpACT Coalition

You have been sent this email because our records show you have expressed an interest in the African Children's Educational Trust. If you have received this email in error, or if you do not wish to receive more information from us, .