New Students, New Steps

When I left the field five months ago, we had a donkey who refused to carry water, a FAL school ready for students who seldom showed up, commitment from 27 families to build and use pit latrines, and no assurance that the promise would become reality. Our field boss had left GTLI to join another NGO for more money. Four discrete development projects were in process when I left the country to be with my pregnant daughter.

The GTLI field staff under the direction of project manager, Solomon Shewarega, accomplished miracles in my absence.

This morning, I witnessed 35 girl students attending our FAL (Functional Adult Literacy) school. The women's cooperative, 45 members strong, attends school every other day. Eighty female students going to school in Wonga Bayno...a community that didn’t allow women to speak in community meetings a year ago!

The Wonga Bayno community is starting to cross the “awareness abyss!”

The elders and women leaders get it. Thanks to the patent CBLA work of our field staff, Yehwalashet, Mayet, Gedion, Marco and Abraham – they understand that new skills are needed to feed their families long term. And, they are willing to do what it takes – even though it requires different skills than what their ancestors taught them. This is huge . . . very daring on the community’s part.

Bonus outcome – our donkey is carrying water – as significant of a cultural breakthrough as females attending school and 33% of our target beneficiaries are using pit latrines! (That may not sound like much to you but our stretch target goal was 20%).

My dream of helping them help themselves looks like it may come true – step by step.

Pictured above, elders and GTLI staff stand on the ground selected for our new school, as the community has outgrown the old.