I probably could not tell you where the Sholla Children's Library is located, our taxi driver had to call the Library twice and then the manager had to walk to the main road and walk us back, but once I got there, I absolutely loved it!!!! There are two covered tents with tables and chairs with kids reading in them, a reading garden with 4 big tables with umbrellas, trees, flowers and kids at all the tables with books. Inside there are three rooms with books, labeled by category and call number. Lots of tables, lots of books, and plenty of young people. There is a conference room, offices for the staff, a media room and posters of all the previous Ethiopia Book Weeks and their themes. In the back is storage and a hygiene room. This is so cool. The kids can come bring their laundry and do it in their new washing machine. They have a man who cuts the boys hair and a woman who styles the girls and even a little barber chair with a mirror. This happens on Saturdays.
Many of the books are older, so they could certainly use new books, it kind of reminded me of the kids section of the DG library from when I was a kid. Sintayehu, the Library Manager showed us around and explained their program. He is great and so enthusiastic. He kept asking me if I knew Yohannes Gebregiorgis, the founder and one of last year's CNN heroes. I know "of" him, but no I don't think I'll be giving him a call when he is back in country next week. Sintayehu
reports that they really could use good quality new books from the US
as well as hygiene items for their Saturday program.
We stayed and read with some of the groups outside(I went with both of my housemates, Marissa and Jen). The kids read in Amharic and some of them tried in English. One group of grade 8 boys were excellent in their reading to me and told me that I read very fast... gee I suppose I sound like I'm talking fast as well. They added about 20 words to my Amharic notebook. Oh and they also wanted to know why I was not married at my advanced age of 34... yes, I told them my mother wonders that as well. :) Sintayehu asked if I would come back on a Saturday when they have their largest group of children, read to them and read them some of the Goodwin kid's penpal letters. I also got contact info for the Donkey Mobile Library in Awassa. Ethiopia Reads and Sholla were the recipients of the Goodwin School penny drive this year. We raised $503 and then my friend Amy's school, Irving School in Oak Park raised money during their spring literacy event and donated $900.
What can you do to help??
My friend Wendy mentioned suggesting ways our at home readers could continue to help. Today, I am suggesting you check out Ethiopia Reads,
www.ethiopiareads.org, where they will take both cash donations and
donations of new or gently used books, they give you ideas of what
kinds of books on their site. And my other suggestion today is Kiva, www.kiva.org, the group that does microfinancing. While last time I looked, there were no
opportunities in Ethiopia, but I really think micro financing is a smart and successful way to help people. And the cool thing is that once your loan is repaid, you can reloan it to help someone else!!!
Blog Fame
A couple of days ago, Abebe called Jen and I as we were leaving the
guesthouse to go to Big A and said he had some friends from Chicago he wanted us to meet at Little A. When we got there, we realized that actually it was this very nice family from Virginia who had stumbled upon my blog. Scott, Jennifer and their 6th grade daughter Evelyn brought donations for AHOPE after finding my blog while doing research on adoption and Ethiopia. They are also planning on visiting the fistula hospital with donations to deliver as well. Great family with a great desire to help. They have a blog that I will link to when I get home and put up a picture with my newest blog "fans". It was a very nice surprise.
Happy 4th of July
I want to wish everyone a very happy 4th of July in America. I will be spending my 4th in the walled city of Harrar, visiting the hyenas. I will post when I return. Thanks for all the emails and Wendy, thanks for calling the other morning(your evening).
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