Sadly tragedy and unexpected loss are all too common for children in Bekoji. The Stand by Me Bekoji Children’s Village was built to care for children just like Samrawit, orphaned, abandoned and in need of a loving family. We welcomed her into our girls’ home after the death of her father and she immediately fitted in.
Our kids in Dembi Dollo are energetic and have an eagerness to learn but their families do not have adequate income to afford everyday items such as new clothes and school uniforms. That’s why we provide our children around the world with new uniforms and our kids in Dembi Dollo recently received theirs.
We are proud to be educating and caring for 440 children in Dembi Dollo and have been amazed at their development since the school opened six years ago. Our first ever class of Grade 8 students sat their national exams to determine whether they can progress to high school. A total of 22 students took the exam and wonderfully, every one of them passed!
Stand by Me exists to change the lives of the children in our care, then to reach out and rescue more. This year we’ve been able to rescue 80 children in Ethiopia and welcome them into our Stand by Me schools in Dembi Dollo and Bekoji.