MEET SOME ECF STUDENTS

Ashenafi Endeshaw

Age 12

Grade 5

'I was born in Addis Ababa but due to divorce when I was 3 my mother took me to Aleltu with my brothers and sisters to live with my grand mother. When I was 5, I joined ECF and I get breakfast and lunch at ECF so that I went back home late in the evening.'

'My favorite thing is to play football. In ECF School I play football during break time. We have a football team with my friends. We played last Friday with Grade four and won 6 to 2 of which I scored 3 and 2 Bizuayehu and one Tewodros.'

'My favorite subjet is Civics. Every Tuesday I am the presenter of civic program at flag ceremony. I am happy of it.'

'April 13 was a bad day for me. I lost my mother in car accident. I was called to home from my music period. When I reached there every body was crying and they told me that she was dead. It was very hard to hear it and was even worse to me when we came back from funeral. I am thinking of her every night.'

Iyob Debebe

Age 16

Grade 10+1 (preparatory)

My favorite subject is English. I like to speak with my teachers and guests who come to visit our village. They like to speak in English with us, but before I learnt to speak English I used to communicate by gesture. I ask guests who come to tell me about their country. I like to visit Europe and America one day.'

'When I grow up I like to be a medical doctor because many people are suffering from many diseases, especially HIV/AIDS. I want to eliminate all diseases in my village and my country.'

I used to live with my mother in a small house not far from ECF School when I was learning from KG up to Grade 10. But now I am learning my preparatory education at Sendaffa, 15 km away from my home town. I visit my mother every weekend. My mother gets her daily food by buying and selling small grains and cereals on market days. I study hard and do my assignments every night. Last year I took my national examination and scored 4.0, the highest mark, due to which I was qualified for college preparatory education. My mother was very proud.

'When I grow up I dream to have a good job and help my mother who is sick a lot.'