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Dear friends,
Our college graduation has been pushed to August this year due to the pandemic. We thought about updating you with our other activities until then. Here are some topics:
- Roben Jirecha (RJ) Preschool Construction
- RJ Church benches delivered
- Edoy Water Project launched
Roben Jirecha Preschool: We are very pleased to report that, our partners, Ethiopian Guenet Church, just completed the construction of a preschool in the Roben Jirecha church compound with funds you donated.
The building has a classroom, with two doors and four windows for visibility (no electricity in rural Ethiopia), and an office / storage has been added. There is a plan to add one more classroom in the future when funds become available. Our Executive Director, Seifu Ibssa, travelled to Ethiopia in March 2022 and reviewed the construction in progress. Seeing it completed and looking this good brings a special joy to all of us in the EAVO family. Thank you for making this possible!
Roben Jirecha Church Benches: The church in Roben Jirecha community, which was constructed and supported by EAVO – received 15 pews, replacing the fragile temporary seating.
Roben Jirecha church with its new benches.
According to our partners who delivered the pews, the church leaders, along with Pastor Lemma, expressed gratitude for the gift.
“Looking back 16 years ago when we visited this community”, commented Seifu in our Board meeting after he returned, “I thank God for the positive changes I have witnessed in the area. It’s truly remarkable!”.
Edoy Water Project launched: During Seifu’s trip in March, he was asked by Temecula Rotary Club leaders to visit Edoy village with a water engineer and report back. Edoy is a village in Acheber area where EAVO built a teachers’ dormitory and toilets for the elementary school where there is no water.
Girls are tasked with running to springs/rivers for water and carrying it back to their families, rather than run to school.
The water engineer reviewed the source of the spring, did some measuring, and informed us it will cost roughly $46,000 to cap the spring, build a reservoir and pipe it to the community as far away as 5 miles, the school 2 miles away, and an Orthodox church 3 miles away. This cost includes 15 distribution centers, each having 4 faucets.
Community leaders.
Seifu and the community leaders met for about 2 hours to discuss plans. The community leaders immediately decided to donate their labor and local materials along 2,000 Birr ($40) from each family, which is 10% of their annual income, towards the project. That comes to about $7,500.
Armed with this commitment from the community, EAVO board members met and decided to support the project with Temecula’s help. Seifu is scheduled to make a presentation to our Temecula Rotary partners on July 20, 2022.
Here is the breakdown:
Hiking to the spring source.
When completed, the water project will serve 4 communities: Edoy where the spring is, Gurambar, Metera and Woldia. In addition, an elementary school (grades 1-8) and a church will be beneficiaries. Those who would benefit the most will be the girls who are tasked with bringing water to their families carrying it on their backs every single day.
Help us send girls to run to school rather than to the rivers.
(Please mark “Edoy Water” on your check memo)
Mail your Tax-Deductible Gifts to:
East African Village Outreach (EAVO)
9688 Ashstone Way
Elk Grove, CA 95624
Or donate at our website www.eavo.org
Just as a reminder from our last newsletter. Admin expenses have mostly been less than 5%.
