You are thirsty. Now imagine walking six hours round trip, only to reach dirty water at your destination. That’s what Semegn Mikir did every day just to acquire water for her family in Ethiopia. Mikir is the mother of a 2-year-old daughter and lives in the rural Lay Gayint district in Taria Georgies village.
July 2014—Rather than pursue a risky migration abroad, or simply become resigned to a life of extreme poverty, landless youth in a chronically food insecure district in Ethiopia are staying in their families’ villages, while also earning an income. How?
In Ethiopia, 7.37 million people living with disabilities face challenges related to discrimination, exclusion from mainstream society, and extreme poverty. In addition, the physical environment is hostile to people with disabilities, including inaccessible roads and few sidewalks anywhere in the city, ill-equipped transportation, schools, housing, workplaces and public facilities.
With some 80 different ethnic groups and approximately 90 million people, providing quality education is the single biggest challenge and priority for Ethiopia’s Ministry of Education. A USAID-supported Early Grade Reading Assessment performed in 2010 revealed shockingly poor results in reading achievement. By the end of grade two, 34 percent of students were unable to read even one word and 48 percent of students scored a zero in comprehension. Teachers were not adequately trained to teach in ways that promote student learning. The lack of curriculum and textbooks, teacher’s guides, and supplemental reading materials exacerbated the low levels of achievement.
In Ethiopia, it is common for children to go to sleep hungry. Food insecurity is high among rural areas, and over 20 percent of children under 5 suffer from chronic malnutrition.
Last updated: October 17, 2014