Ethiopian School Project
The Dagahmadow School Education Project, in Dagahmadow district of the Somali Regional State of Ethiopia, currently provides secure accommodation and education for 110 boys and girls of primary school age. Each child can be fully supported (accommodation, food and education) in this facility for less than A$500 a year.
Background
Most of the pastoral areas in Ethiopia and the countries whose boundaries adjoin it are remote, have poor social and community services and physical infrastructure and are located along international frontiers with a history of conflict and insecurity. Many children have lost one or both parents and the population lags behind in almost every social indicator. Furthermore the pastoral population is necessarily nomadic as rainfall is low and unreliable. Unless secure accommodation can be provided in a central village location, children must travel with parents or members of extended families, moving from place to place with their herds or flocks to find food and water for them. Those children have no access to even basic education.
Facilities for the Daghamadow School project, including residential accommodation, were constructed during 2008, with an establishment grant from the National Council of Churches of Australia. The school, run by The African Pastoralist Vision Association (NGO in Ethiopia) opened with thirty five boys aged eight and nine in September that year. HARDA became aware of the School in the first half of 2008 and identified it as one of the model projects that should attract HARDA’s support.
HARDA has continued its commitment to this model project, with support from Human Appeal International.