My name is Mekonnen Fentahun Kassa. I was born in a very small town located south of Gonder, Ethiopia. My parents brought me to Gonder, a small town that has evolved into a city in the last half-century, when I was probably a little over one year old. My mother, Tewoda Gebeyehu and father, Sergeant […]
New Gonder Library Built in OHBD Advisory Board Member’s Former Elementary School Read More »
Developing stories in people’s native language is of paramount importance, as people learn to read best in their mother tongue. Our students and teachers at Seeds of Africa were thrilled when they received the Ready, Set, Go! books. This enthusiasm stemmed from finally having cultural stories they can connect and relate to written in Amharic
💐Hi IG family✋🏽This week’s big-up goes to Ellenore Angelidis, Founder & Board President of Open Hearts Big Dreams (OHBD), a nonprofit organization. Under the direction of Ellenore and her board of advisers, OHBD focuses on #Literacy, #Art and #Education in #Ethiopia. she has an amazing entrepreneurial spirit as well…enjoy her insight below: 🔻 1. Describe
Imagine not being able to read this article or anything written into words for that matter. People often forget children’s literacy is one of the key issues still problematic in Ethiopia but also the rest of the world. That’s where the Open Hearts Big Dreams Fund comes in. Through their mission of inspiring and enabling
This month’s blog is a guest post by D Yael Bernhard and reprinted from her site with permission. Meet Yaya! This energetic young fellow is the main character in my forthcoming picture book, Yaya, Come Here!, to be published by Open Hearts Big Dreams, a wonderful literacy program that is bringing books to over 40 million
College age adult enrollment at universities in Africa and Ethiopia is 8% and 6% respectively, much lower than the global average (32%). Students in Ethiopia are facing grim prospects. Only a fraction of them proceed to preparatory school and complete college degree programs. What is more disturbing is the fact holding degrees is no longer
Linking high school kids with local universities in Ethiopia Read More »
There is a wave of change sweeping through Ethiopia with news of peace initiatives or new reforms being introduced by the new young and pragmatic prime minister Abiy Ahmed. Some of the significant changes introduced by prime minister Abiy are the appointment of women to half of the ministerial posts including defence and intelligence portfolio,
Ethiopian Women Leading the Transformation Read More »
The day of March 29 was a great day for Yekatit 23 School communities, student’s parents, Ethiopia Reads (ER) and donors from Open Hearts Big Dreams for which it was a day to the official completion and opening of the new library building in the school compound. The construction process was started on November 15,
Official opening event of the new library of Yekatit 23 School Read More »
In March, a group of students from the Northwest School in Seattle, Washington traveled to Ethiopia as part of the school’s two week immersive learning series known as “The Summits”. While in the capital Addis Ababa, the group met up with students from the International Leadership Academy of Ethiopia (ILAE), which serves as a collaborating
Students from the Northwest School in Seattle, Washington traveled to Ethiopia Read More »
Making Sense of Senseless Loss and Unfair Disparities Opa and grand-daughter enjoying a great book. Generations connecting through the wonder of literacy. I have not written for a bit because there has just been too much going on. As I previously shared, my dad died unexpectedly after a fall and surgery in November. Then my
I Want To Be One of the Crazy Ones Read More »