Making History at the Abdi Academy

At only 14-years-old Sara was orphaned, malnourished and living in a small one roomed mud hut with her three siblings and aunt. Her family’s extreme poverty meant that Sara was trapped in a cycle of illiteracy with little hope of receiving an education or chasing her dreams. Without intervention she was at risk of falling into low paid work that wouldn’t cover her basic needs.

Sara’s circumstances are not unusual for the children of the small market town where she lives. Many of them are amongst the 88% of children in Ethiopia living in multidimensional poverty and deprived of nutrition, adequate housing and an education. For these children education is a powerful tool for escaping the cycle of poverty, but accessible to very few.  

When we heard about Sara’s situation we knew that we had to act, providing her with a place at our Abdi Academy. There Sara received years of quality education, nutritious meals and access to medical care that meant she could thrive.

This year Sara made history at our Abdi Academy by becoming the first girl in the programme to graduate from university. As Dame, the school’s head of social work, reflected on her achievement he explained just how encouraging it was to see her graduate: “To our project, Sara is the first fruit reaped among many ripped out. Our gratitude is paramount both for her beloved sponsors and Stand by Me because without their intervention, she would be left out.”

Now holding a Bachelor’s Degree in Horticulture, Sara is hoping to find work, a chance for her to create a better life for herself. But her journey to success was not easy. Sara’s time at high school met with many challenges and she failed her Grade 10 exam which threatened to bring her education to an end. Thanks to the additional support she received from Stand by Me Sara was able to retake the exam a year later and pass.   

In celebration of her amazing achievement, Sara was invited back to our Abdi Academy to speak to our kids in further education. As she addressed the students, sharing her experience in university, she encouraged them to continue working hard. Her story not only serves as an inspiration to them all, but for our girls is also a glimmer of hope that the possibility of a university education is not out of reach.

Staff at our Abdi Academy look on with anticipation and hope at the many other children who will one day graduate from university. As they reach amazing milestones in their education, they are showing that children marginalised and forgotten by society can overcome their circumstances and make history just like Sara.