Shropshire college donates cash for kids in war-torn Ethiopia
Students and staff at a college are donating to help young people caught up in a country’s civil unrest.
Concord College is supporting a rural primary school in Lalibela in Ethiopia, a nation which has been involved in civil war since November 2020.
The college’s charity Soil of Amhara has paid a local craftsman to build chairs for the school library, admitting that whilst it may not sound exciting, the furniture was exactly what the small village community said they needed.
Concord geography teacher and founder of Soil of Amhara Steven Cale explained: “Power is still off in Lalibela, but a generator was used and the finished articles are now being put to good use.
“So the money raised by the college is continuing to help young people in Lalibela.”
The principal of St Neakutoleab Primary School in Lalibela, Biadglign Sahilu, said the old chairs from the library were stolen last year in the war.
“Everything valuable was sent to Tigray by the invading forces. The students were unable to comfortably visit the library and read books as a result. So this had a negative effect on their academic performance.
“Thanks to the new chairs, the students have loved returning to the library and reading different books so that their academic performance will improve once more.
“It is very helpful for our students – and the school as a whole – to have accessible and comfortable areas for learning.”
A recent Concord College fundraising challenge, ‘Ride the Great Green Wall,’ involved students, staff and alumni teaming together to complete a virtual 9,000km cycle and row, traversing 12 nations across the Great Green Wall in Africa.
The event raised a total of over £1,500 and has been used in various life-changing ways. And the college is continuing to make further generous donations which have bought the primary school library chairs.
