Updates from Ethiopia

As of today, a total of 92 COVID-19 cases have been confirmed out of under 5500 tests conducted in Ethiopia. Schools remain closed across the country, large religious gatherings are discouraged, and the Ethiopian Ministry of Health has advised the market-going public to take precautionary measures.

For our students and their families, poverty is a barrier to protection. Here are some updates from our response efforts on Health, Food Security, and Education. 
 
Low Tech Virtual Education 

To keep our students learning, we’ve designed an at-home education program with a unique system to navigate the complications of our low-tech environment. Each of our teachers call their 15 students to facilitate a weekly project-based homework curriculum. 

On Week 1, we asked our students to journal about their new daily routines and write messages to send to their school friends.
This program goes beyond keeping our students engaged with school work. It’s about giving hope, building community, and inspiring creativity. 
 

Loan Forgiveness

To alleviate the financial impact on the household incomes of our families, we’ve informed 54 current loan recipients that all outstanding small business micro-loan repayments have been suspended indefinitely.