Monday, May 14, 2007
FREGENET SCHOOL
Inside the compound at Fregenet School introductions were made and the Headmaster, Mr. Gehbray Tekeste, led us on a tour of the grounds, classrooms and kitchen.
Mr. Tekeste, slight of build, wore a dark suit, dark shirt, and a white tie. It complimented the curly shock of snowy white hair that framed his forehead. A finely trimmed white mustache complimented his mocha colored face. A seemingly perpetual smile lit his countenance. Not pasted on: warm, genuine, gentle.
His voice was quiet yet passionate. His love for the children and the school was captivating as he described in great detail future plans for his beloved school.
The children are the poorest of the poor in the district yet with thier red over blue uniforms they are the envy of others.
Recently I read about an orginazation that is planning a school in Africa. They were budgeting several hundred thousand dollars for property aquisition, similar for construction, and nearly as much for first year salaries.
I wish those people would visit Fregenet School and learn! There are one hundred five students. They are provided with uniforms, milk at lunch, a safe environment and a good education. The entire budget for year 2007 is $30,000.00 American.
While they scheme and plan children are hurting! Rent a compound, hire staff, and DO IT! The other can come later.
The interior surfaces of the compound walls provide visual aids for the students. There are pictures of animals, birds and objects. Captions underneath each picture name or describe them. The Amharic alphabet and English alphabets are on the interior of the entry gates. There is a picture of a man, captions beside, arrows pointing, "arm," leg," etc.
We brought gift bags containing toys and essential items, enough for one per sudent. A list of all the students was made up. It was documented that each child recieved one. There are no favorites here. They adhere to the biblical princepal: "Avoid the very appearance of evil."
The children began to congregate in an open area in front of the main building. Some of them swarmed around my seventeen-year old grandaughter and she was inadvertantly knocked down. They sat on her and around her and sang: "God is so good, God is so good, God is so good, He's so good to me.
