On Saturday 24th I've had the opportunity to visit a local NGO around kotebe in Addis Ababa. The article is about a child who has made it to the NGO a little less than a month ago .
The Child's name is BesuFekad, he is four years old .His aunt brought him to to the NGO/School because his parents were not able to provide for him.
Muday, the manager and founder of the school explained to me what has happened.
Besufekad has spend most of his infant years (almost four years) inside a dark room where he was fed only ONCE a day & left out to just die. His parents, father deceased and mother who is unemployed and sick has no means to take care of him. Due to the excessive malnutrition he has suffered the child is not able to do the very basic things.
Ethiopian Child Abused by parents
Besufekad - age 4 and a Care provider at the Fresh and Green Academy
Muday has given me the permission to take his picture.
He was not able to sit, walk or understand how to play because of his isolation from the world. She also explains to me that he is still unable to see (too bad for such pretty eyes) but later it was discovered that his eyes were just fine and the issue is related to interpretations of images inside his brain, because his eyes were not trained to see in day light. Hopefully he would make a recovery.
Now after a month he's arrived at the school , he has made very good progress. He is now able to sit ,gained a few pounds & is learning how to walk.
Currently ,Muday Mitiku, a local Ethiopian woman who is running this school has adopted him as one of her own.
The reason I am writing this today is to shade some light into the many untold good deeds people like Muday are doing in our community. Stories like these would have made it to big TV networks elsewhere in the world but unfortunately for Ethiopia this is quite frequent and go untold .
“Muday and The Fresh and Green Academy “
Muday and the school she is running ( The fresh and Green Academy) supports over 166 students,each with their own unique stories to tell .
She educates these students & provides meal three times a day for free.
She is not only helping these children but also their mommies. She wants them to be able to provide for themselves & kids. Thus, the “Mother's Cooperative” does different things such as breading necklaces , making hand-loomed scarves , handbags , shoes and sewing clothes etc..
Nevertheless , all these comes at a high cost. She shows me , She and her husband live in a room considerably too small to accommodate herself and other 9 children she has adopted .And they have also situated themselves inside the academy so as to solely devote themselves to the school and most importantly save money. She added that , she is constantly worried & reminded if she can not come up with the monthly school rent payment , the children would go back to streets .
Do you believe the fresh & green academy needs a bit of a push :
Here are things you can do :
Help sponsor a child :
The fresh & Green academy has sadly turned down over 700 request from parents who were seeking education & food for their children . It's truly heart breaking to learn that a parent has to make a choice between which child to send to school & which one not to, it's truly NOT fair. With your support this can be alleviated.
Motivate the Mother Cooperative:
The mothers cooperative is a sustainable way to make mothers care for themselves & their children . The problem is, its too difficult for them to sale their Quality products in the big market outside because people like you and me are not aware that such things like mothers cooperative exist.
If you are looking for Ethiopian artifacts , handbags , shoes , necklaces,dresses etc .. please consider buying it from the mothers cooperative , they are really quality products & you will be making an impact in a life of an Ethiopian mother & her family .
Send School supplies :
Children need all sort of things. But the best thing we can give them is a bright future. Fresh & green academy needs books,cloth, shoes , toys ,pencils ,chairs,crayons,tables,water filters ,Cooking utilities,computers etc.. they need all the support you can give,in any form.
If you would like to also volunteer and/or know people who can help out please contact Muday(see address below)
Help by encourage those who are doing the good deeds:
Last but not least , please encourage Muday and all the workers at the fresh and green by paying them a visit[map] and do please shake their hands for the defiance & courage that is engraved in their hearts . They truly deserve it & need it .
Contact Fresh & Green Academy :
Muday Mitiku
Email : mudaymitiku06@yahoo.com
Telephone : 251-118-621-511
P.o.Box 190406
Addis Ababa , Ethiopia
Along the Asmara Road , Infront of the Kotebe Teachers College .
Directionsto Fresh and Green Academy : Google Map
Thank you so much for your support. On my visit to the school five years ago, I too was moved beyond comprehension. That is when I founded Friends of Fresh and Green Academy. My life's purpose has become to help Muday and these children. Thanks to people like you, these children have a chance at a normal life that so many of us take for granted.
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