Mekdela Kids Ethiopia

Sunday, November 10, 2013

Thank you Clicksco !!!

A few words of thanks to the Company who has been feeding our kids in Ethiopia. May the Universe bless each one of you who donated. You are The Best !!! Click on the link below to watch the video :)

Thank you Clicksco for helping Mekdela Kids Ethiopia !!

Friday, August 30, 2013

End of year party :) 2012-2013

Thank you Genet for surprising us with such a nice gesture. I know you care about these kids as much as we do. You have been wonderful I cannot wait to hug you again...

Marcus my dear Marcus, you are a big man now :) So nice to see you all kids. I love you, and I pray for your brilliant future daily !

So here we are again, updating our blog, it will be the 5th school year we feed these kids... We are proud of having such good friends that have supported us all this time.

For this year we have money, so I don t need to beg hehe However, i would like to ask you to pray. Pray with all your strength so we can send the best kids to College. I trust we will make it. But the more prayers we have the more the Universe will work with us. Just pray. Please

Grades are out !!

So here are the grades for the end of 2012-1013 school year. Once again I am very very proud of Marcus, a street boy, orphan, that has lived on his own since he was 6 years old, NUMBER ONE of the group !!!

What happen to Meskeren ?????? She used to be one of the best of the group :((( On the other hand Ajeiba (Rosa Look at Ajaiba !!!) she got so much better iupiiiiii

Abeba and keleme as usual two sweet flowers !!! Their father is a beggar you know?

Name	Ave. Point	Grade 2012-2013
Marcos Belay	78.2	6
Melkamu Fekadu	75.1	7
Kirubel Selas	60.1	7
Elias Hayiredin	68.5	7
Terhas Kashun	69.5	6
Ajiyba Ziyad	73.4	7
Mulugeta Genetu	67.1	7
Shewaye Degef	76.1	7
Anewar Shefa	52	FAILED…….
Meskerem Fulefula	60.6	8
Derje Tesfaye	58.8	8
Shewayetu Derbew	63	8
Yohannes Demeke	58.3	8
Leykun Abebe	53	8
Hiwot Bedlu	62.4	8
Iman Mohammed	62.7	8
Keleme Girmay	71.9	8
Haimanot Abiy	58.1	8
Abdi Shekur	71.5	7
Abdi Tofik	63.5	8
Abeba Girmay	73.5	8
Zeyneba Ziyad	56.5	9
Meskerem Mulatu	65.8	9
Enatenesh Engida	63.5	9
Tizazu Tadesse	69.7	5
Addisu Tadesse	72	5

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Camila's Diary Day 1 & 2

This is the diary of Camila, Mohsen, Wendy and Steve when they visited our kids in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia!

Day 1

when we arrived in airport we couldnt believe how fresh the air was!! To find taxi was fairly easy and four of us & 6 cases was pushed in to one car and 45 minutes later we were in the hotel.

When reached the school they all were waiting for us on the bench next to the main gate. Kids' shyness almost disappeared when Wendy opened bag with Orios and Galaxy chocolates :))

I showed them your and Mark's photos - you can't imagine how happy and alert them became..all tried to kiss the photo. Melkami (he is in 6th grade now) read your messages to everyone :) Photo is in Genet's bedroom now :)

We told the kids what was the programme for the next day and (as per Genet's recommendation) changed the timing from 10am to 9am.

Once everyone left we spoke with Tirhas and Inatnesh (two girls, who couldn't pass their exams) They understood that this is their last chance and if they don't pass their exams successfully this year they won't be able to continue with these programne. Both of them were very upset, but grateful to have another chance. I am very happy Leysana offered her donation particularly to these two girls, otherwise I am sure I wouldn't be able to look at their faces!

Since Genet has already added two new students (Tizazu an Addisu) to the programme instead of Tirhas and Inetnesh and as we decided to keep both of these girls for at least another year, at that point had 24 children.

About a minute later Genet introduced us to a new boy :) a very clever one! He instantly came to me, told how well he studies, he put his hand on mine and and looked very innocent He also kept hugging Mohsen and offered Wendy to help her to collect trash from Orios and Galaxies that other kids left :) Suuurely, we all said that he was the boy we would want to see in the group.

You will notice this boy on the photos, he wears red t-shirt and smiles a lot :)

So that's how we got our 25th child!

In the evening Genet and General Merdassa took us to Yod Abbisinia where we tried local beer and local food (the big tray with lots of different curries and cottage cheese) with beautiful music. Electricity was cut off a few times, but no one seemed to mind :)

In the night there was religious chanting in the church close to Mekdela school, but even couple of kilometers away, we could hear it in the rooms of Golf Club :)

Day 2

We woke up at 6:30 - at least an hour earlier than planned - that's how excited we were :)) Took a bag of cookies and chocolates, a bag of jumping robs, cameras and walked to the school. On the way we saw some things that we never saw before, like urinating people on the street :) Okay, I saw it in Uzbekistan, but I think Steven and Wendy were never exposed to the scenes like these. Steven had to pass three dying puppies next to trash bin :( he just had to keep strong and pass them through - I'm quite sure he never had to do this before!

When we reached school, there were so many kids there. There is football practice and tutorials every Saturday in the school. Our kidos were mixed with others and it was really hard to say who was who :)) Some of them carried exercise books. While we waited for Genet I gave away baloons to keep the kids entertained :) Wendy drew smiling faces on the the baloons for them and Mohsen took video. When all of the baloons were given away I suddenly saw a boy with very sad face asking for one..You know, other kids, who didn't get baloons were a bit aggressive, but this one was truly sad :( Wendy opened his exercise book - it was for Chemistry..very neat handwriting!! We were very impressed and I think four of us started counting the cost of adding one more child to the programme..we asked for his name and grade and decided to speak about him with Genet later during the day.

When Genet came we all moved to the corner of the football field to play some activities. Everyone (including us) got a sticker with the name and Mohsen took individual photos. These are the photos I sent to you yesterday.

Wendy divided them in to 5 groups and explained the rules of the games and Steven gave us demonstration before we started.

Sooo..they run, jumped, screamed, cheered for almost 2 hours!! Mohsen took video and participated in the games!! :) there is one photo that I really like - the kids stand in one big circle and hold hands! They are really good together! Boys and girls tend to stay separately, but when mixed, they are friendly and supportive to each other.

Since they played and worked so hard they all got Orios and Galaxies :) It was lunch time, but no one wanted leave the field - they wanted to play mooore!!

Wendy asked them to sing a song for us and...the show started!! :)) They sang, they danced, they laughed!! To me it was the happiest moment of the trip. Mohsen went straight in the boys circle and joined them in the dance while boys singing:

It's time for Africa

Waka Waka ef ef

Tsamina mina zangalewa

'Cause this is Africa

Some girls were great dancers!! Very talented!!

Then we collected our staff and walked to Tivola - lunch place :)) All kids had burgers with french fries and 2 soft drinks :)

When burgers arrived Genet remembered that three muslim girls might not be able to eat burgers, as meat most probably was not cut as per islamic way. You would think it won't stop a hungry kid to eat a burger just in front of her, but they refused to have it..It was great to see how strongly they follow their faith!! So we ordered them vegetable sandwiches :)

When we said good bye the children, we went for a real adventure - Mercato!! The biggest open market in Africa. It was different from what I imagined it, it was much more crazy!! :)) You have to stick to each other, as the pace is crazy. You need to move very quickly and know your directions well. I am glad we didn't take Marcus with us, as I am sure we would have lost him there!

Genet took us to the fabric place - there we bought dark blue fabric for uniform trousers and skirts. Genet will take children and the fabric to a tailor, who will make skirts and trousers for them for 70birr per child.

We also saw sweaters - light blue, different quality..different prices. At the end we agreed on the medium quality at the medium price - Genet will buy them from the place where she can negotiate the rates :)

We also saw shoes in governmental shop - real leather, beautiful colors..but..very costly!! 380birr per girl and 245birr per boy. At this point I said it's very expensive to have children!! :))) Genet said that cheaper shoes don't last long and kids don't like them either..

Next day we checked shoes in another governmental shop in hope to find the same quality at cheaper rates, but found only hard leather and very heavy shoes. We told Genet that we have to think whether we can afford to buy them uniform and shoes this year.

At the end of this eventful day, we hardly managed to walk to the hotel's lobby and had pizza for dinner :)

Religious chanting in the neighborhood continued that night as well...:)

To be continued...xoxox

Sunday, November 11, 2012

Individual Pictures

What can I say ?? Tears fill my eyes every time I look at them. Love fills my heart every time I think of what Camila, Mohsen, Wendy and Steven have done. Hope fills my life when I see what a terrific help God has been giving these kids.

Melkamu

Enatnesh

Keleme

Abdu

Tizazu

Adissu

Eman

Tirhas

Shewate

Abidi

Leykun

Kerubal is a new kid in the group, chosen by Camila, Mohsen, Wendy and Steven :)

Genet we LOVE YOU !!!!!!!!!

Mulugeta

Shayitu

Hiyot

Abeba - our flower...

Ajeiba

Zineba

Dear Wendy

Camila Alikhani - Kids new big MAMA !!!!

Dereje

Elyas

Meskerem

Haimanot

Aniwar

Markos

Meskerem

Yohannes is our 26th child, sponsored by Wendy and Steven :)

These pictures were taken in front of an art work donated by Moosa Alikhani in 2011. All the people who attended a charity ball for the kids in Dubai signed it. It is a blessing the kids got to see how much love they have inspired in the past 5 years.

Saturday, November 10, 2012

Our kids got guests :)

It happened !!!! Camila, Mohsen, Wendy and Steven made it all the way to Addis Ababa to visit our kids. We planned their activities one month in advanced and apparently they had a great time playing, meeting, learning... I don t have to say how jealous I got, and how may tears of happiness I have cried. I will never be able to thank any donor enough for the help during the past years. I remember each of you, and I am absolutely sure you are in the prayers of all these families.

You can help more if you wish. Camila has set up an account for the kids at http://www.gofundme.com/Mekdela-kids

Yes... We have surpassed our goal !! Every time I enter the site there is more donations, it is a miracle, a love miracle !! Our ultimate goal is to send these kids to College. With so many helpers I am sure we will get there !!

So back to the trip :)

Wendy and Camila had the kids running and playing for hours hahaha I bet the loved it !!!

It is so easy to fall in love with Ethiopians, such warm people...

And the kids had the opportunity to dance and sing for the guests !!

Lunch time !!! Thank you guys, you are so generous !!!!!!!!!

Genet you are even more beautiful darling !!

So here she is, the new big MAMA !!! Way to go Camila, you are so motherly, I bet your heart grew bigger after this weekend :)

Donations of clothes, so many things !!! Thank you to all donors !!! It sure made a difference in theirs lives :)

Camila was able to get a very cheap backup in Dubai, so the girls got pink and the boys got blue. They are full of new clothes apparently :)

The parents came on Sunday. This is Ajaiba s and Zineba s mother, she has 5 daughters, no husband, and lives in a plastic house, I used to visit her when I lived in Addis Ababa. She is so adorable, has such a good energy...

This is a child Camila, Mohsen, Wendy and Steven chose to be part of the group. We support now 25 kids !! Wowww Ops no !!! We support 26 kids now hahahaha Yohanes is also a new child supported by Wendy and Steven THANK YOU GUYS !!!!!!!!!