2012 Ethiopia Expedition Recap & Highlights

What a wonderful expedition we had in June, 2012!

      We had 15 participants that worked very diligently in a village called Gerbichu outside of Debre Zeit about 90 minutes outside the city of AddisAbaba Ethiopia.

     Our main project was to build on to an existing school by creating two additional rooms, floating cement floors, plastering and painting the walls bright,vivid colors, and building desks. The group also put together many school bags for students and providing a variety of school supplies to decorate the walls. One of the highlights of working at the school, was holding class each day for children at 10 AM and 2 PM. We provided various lessons from topics from English to math, colors and animals to shapes. The children are so eager to learn, and they waited in the schoolyard for hours until it was time for their class. I am sure that this is a memory that they will always cherish. A highlight for me is always to put a fresh, bright, clean T-shirt on each boy, and a skirt or dress on each girl. It’s like having our own little Christmas. They’re so happy to have one thing that is new and so proud to be walking home with their school bags. The children truly radiate love kindness, and goodness. They are why I go back again, and again.

     One of my favorite activities of the week was providing all of the supplies for a wonderful art and craft project. The children learned how to use watercolors, glue and glitter, feathers, colored pencils, and to be creative with the Myriad of supplies. It was so touching to watch each child leave the school building with their own personal work of art. We know these pieces of art will be hanging in their huts for years to come.

      We also worked with the mothers group and providing menstruation kits, and instructing them how to use them for themselves and for their teenage daughters. This will truly be life-changing.

     Thank you to everyone that helped with the family gardens, and other special projects on some of the neighboring farms. The village people are always so appreciative of the different things that we have the opportunity to teach, and to share with them.

     I hope that you can join us next year for your own life-changing experience. Come to Ethiopia and feel the love!!

                                                      Kimberly Woods

                                                      Expedition Co-Leader

Please enjoy some pictures and highlights of the Ethiopia 2012 Expedition… Gary Coleman (Board Member for ENA) and expedition participants painted the interior in one of the additions to the school, as well as a mural on the outside of the school. Expedition participants each helped to teach many school lessons to children in the village. Diana Bingham (Director for Engage Now Africa) building and staining desks for the school.   Larry Bingham (Board Member for ENA) coordinating the school building and painting project. Kimberly Woods (Expedition Leader and Board Member for ENA) playing with school children while they lined up and waited for school to begin. Expedition participants helped hand out new school clothes and backpacks to all of the children in the village.