Awassa Village
Dear Reader,
Expressing our cordial gratitude for your ceaseless support, here we are with the new development of the SOS children’s village Awassa and its affiliated facilities in the half past year time.
Village
Our village director resigned and we had a farewell. Thus, we now are in a process to recruite a new director. Besides, our village has recently admitted an orphaned child from a near by vicinity. By now this small girl becomes familiar with the new environment and seems well adjusted and happy with the new life with the SOS family. After just a couple of week to adjust her self, she has now started to visit the Kindergarten.
The school going children in the village are also doing well at school. As usual the students with good results are awarded based on their first semester educational performance which was ended at the end of February 2008. In addition to this, they were invited to enjoy their break time in a recreational resort called Wondogenet for a day.
Technical support on study skill has also been given for all children of the village for better improvements. Alongside, counseling and special support was also given for children who have scored poor marks in the semester. The students who joined the IGCSE (International General Certificate Exam for Secondary Education) program are also doing great and they are leading their classes.
In our village kids’ corner is prepared for the lower level Kindergarten children and toddlers. The kids are practicing very well so as to adapt Kindergarten activities.
Mean while, a one day training had also been organized for all the SOS mothers’-Awassa by the village’s Child Development Team and professionals from Hawassa University on how to care and help destitute and vulnerable children’s for better development.
Youth who are living in the youth facilities for boys and girls are also doing great in school and on their interaction within the community. On the other hand, a youth hearing program was organized in the village compound and all the youths participated actively to speak what ever they feel about their life and what they wish to do.
Celebrations
We have had colorful celebrations of the SOS Mothers’ Day, and the Ethiopian millennium children’s and parents’ day which were organized by the Region Social Affair Bureau. On Mothers day, mothers renewed their oath for great commitment. The poem and Dramas presented by children were also great and touched every one’s heart. Especially the poem with a theme “born in blood is just a saying as compared to deeds of SOS mothers” presented by a 15 years old girl touched the audience.
On the later occasion also the village children have got great opportunity to meet with the community children and made speech through their representative about child rights. On top of this, they have also demonstrated the implementation of child rights through drama. .
Co curricular (Club) Activities
The co curricular activities started in the village are going in a very fascinating way. Children are also showing great interest to participate in different clubs even a child in more than one club. Clubs like Art, Scout, Sponsorship and volunteerism, Literature and HIV/AIDS are doing very well in initiating children to practice different activities by their part.
One of the strongest clubs, the village’s scout club, celebrated its seventh anniversary colorfully in the village compound. The invited guests, the regional scout members, and scout members from Switzerland attended the celebration. There were educating and entertaining dramas and demonstrations about how to help people in need and on hazardous conditions. The regular practice and trainings to each other especially for the new members every Saturday afternoon has also continued.
Special Needs Children
The education and training unit is doing great for the benefit of the children in this program. The children displayed what they have produced in the department during SOS mothers’ day to the participants and some of the products have also been sold. Some selected children who are weak in their physical posture have also attended exercises for about a month in the city. In addition to these, on month training had been hosted in the center on how to make Arts by a volunteer girl from Israel. On the other hand, a girl from the center has started vocational training in embroidery and cloth tailoring. Those who are visiting the school are also showing encouraging progress in their school performance.
Social Center
The day care center is still working very well in the village compound. The organized women groups in income generating activities are providing supplies such as: fruits, bread and other items like cleaning materials and food stuff to the day care center. In doing so the group has gained practical knowledge of business transaction that helps them build internal group capital.
The family strengthening program which is being held by the center is also doing great. Training has been conducted for thirteen women on hair dressing and on business management in different groups to empower them in income.
Still more, the Hermann Geminer Medical center is helping the surrounding community and the SOS children’s and staffs in medication. During the past six months about 2640 people were served in the center including the community and SOS staffs.
SOS Hermann Geminer School and Kindergarten
Both the school and the Kindergarten are doing pretty good. The number of student in the school has increased as it received the third batch of students for IGCSE from all SOS children’s villages in Ethiopia. During the past half year time most of the students have scored promising pints in their results.
Along with the academic activities, the school is effectively enrolling students in different co curricular activities to reshape them in different discipline in Literature club, Charity club, Anti HIV/AIDS club, Biology club, Chemistry club, and life skill club.
In our county Ethiopia, as in the rest of the world the cost of living has shown a tremendous increment. Fuel price is steadily growing; intern life in the cities especially is getting more and more complicated. The price on food items is also getting costly and has left a considerable impact in the country. Though the government is taking some measures like deducting some taxes on food items to relive the people, the cost of living is still challenging for every one to sustain.
At last we would like to thank you for all best deeds you have done to SOS facility on the behalf of all children and all facilities.
Sincerely Yours,
Rago Birru (Mr.)
A/village Director-Awassa
Support
www.sos-borneby.dk
www.sos-childrensvillages.org
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