Samerro Project

Samerro is a small rural village in Western Ethiopia, toward the Sudan border. The village population is just over 2000 people, of which 98% are subsistence farmers. The poverty is great and without education there is little hope of improvement for the next generation.

The Daughter's of Charity Sisters run a preschool where they also run a feeding program for malnourished children from the area.
Nearby, the sisters also run a hostel for high school aged girls in Dembidolo so they can stay in town close to the high school and have the opportunity for an education. There is about 16 girls who live here and are supported by the Sisters.
A clinic at Darka is also run by the Sisters providing much needed medical assistance for the local communities. Dembidollo has an airstrip but at present they do not have an air service, the nearest is Gambella. This means a 2 day drive from Addis Ababa.

Child Sponsorship:

Individual child sponsorship will see a child able to obtain an education, have access to food and basic necessities. Sponsorship makes a huge difference to a child's life and will provide the opportunity, through education and nutrition to be lifted out of the cycle of poverty. Children seeking sponsorship are usually between the ages of 6 and 14 years old.

Agricultural Support:

Donations can be made of any amount towards agricultural support. Supporting a family by donation of a sheep for example, can provide wool, meat, milk and offspring to sell or give to another family living in poverty. The Sisters usually ask that the first offspring be used as repayment of the gift of the animal, and it is in turn given to another family in poverty. Likewise, oxen, chickens, seeds for sowing etc will all benefit families being able to start the road towards self reliance for their food and income.

Feeding centre:

Donations of any amount, either a single time or ongoing, will be used to help feed the most destitute children. Often, if they are healthy enough to walk to the feeding centre, this might be their only meal of the day. By providing support to the feeding centre the immediate need of food for survival of young children can be achieved.

In the last 12 months, WFA through generous donations, has been able to provide funding to install water tanks for the school, enabling clean water to be used in food preparation, drinking and washing of hands..... A luxury only imaginable just a few years ago is now a reality thanks to the support of sponsors and donors.