ADDIS ABABA- Most projects that Office of the First Lady runs with an outlay of over 716 million Birrhave been reported to come to completion by the next September, the Office told the Ethiopian Press Agency.
Four secondary schools and Kuskuam Children’s Village, whose cornerstones were laid by First Lady Zinash Tayachew last October and February respectively will reach final stages of construction shortly, the statement said. The Office has been running the construction ofover twenty secondary schools, a boarding school to persons with visual impairment, Kuskuam Children’s Village while it is rehabilitating Sebeta School for the Blind.
The schools are under construction across thenine states of the country and the construction of the rest 16 schools will be finalized between [February and March], according to the statement.It was reported that the schools’ will help tackle challenges students have been facing trekking long distances to access secondary schools in remote rural areas, which also contributes to school dropouts.
The boarding school, under construction in Akali-Kaliti sub-city of Addis Ababa,will be ready for service in two years’ time, it adds.The construction of the schools has been undertaken in concert with states’ education bureaus and other partnering organizationswhilst the Office covers the required finance—i.e., 304,832,244 Birr.
Also, it covers all the needed outlay for the construction of the boarding school and children’s village that are taking shape in Addiswhich is as big as 400 million Birr and 12 million Birr in that order. Upon completion of the Village, Children who are at Zewditu Meshehsa Children’s and Family Charity and Development Association would be relocated to the Village,as it was stated at an event that marked the laying of the cornerstone of the Village.
The First Lady and Prime Minister Dr. Abiy Ahmed visited the Association at the eve of Ethiopian Christmas (Ganna) [January 06/2019]. “It was heartbreaking to me, both as a mother and as a citizen, to see kids sharing a small room at the center,” said the first lady stating the rationale for the construction of the village.She also expressed hope that the village’s construction will see completion in six months’ time.
Also, Surafel Wondemu, Project Coordinator, explained that the village would comprise various facilities including dormitory to children under the age of seven and another one for children above seven years of age; training centers, recreational hub, library and the like.The Association was in critical condition as children’s dormitory, millhouse, and other property were burned to the ground on December 15, it was learned.
BY WORKU BELACHEW
