Raselas Diversity School (formerly Gutteye School), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Information
What?
A Montessori-style school from KG to Grade 10.
Where?
In a suburb of Addis Ababa, capital city of Ethiopia.
Number of volunteers required?
Flexible, but usually at least three.
Other requirements?
A desire to work with children in difficult circumstances. Extra curricular skills in art, music, photography, dance, theatre and so forth are very welcome. A desire to raise awareness of the school’s needs and to attempt to fund raise to help meet those needs.
Benefits?
Volunteers will be working with dedicated staff who have committed immense time, energy and in some cases their livelihoods to this school. Possibility of some travel in and around Ethiopia during the school breaks. The owners of the school will cover the costs of accommodation for the volunteer(s).
Minimum length of stay?
The longer the better, as this is a school. Absolute minimum of three months but nine months preferred.
Volunteer tasks?
Teaching, especially English. Helping to run the school administratively; fund raising and awareness raising; providing input into the extra curricular and after school activities.
Details?
In the summer of 2006 Gutteye School was demolished by a private contractor and the land the school had stood on for several years was taken for development. Gutteye, now renamed Raselas School, relocated to temporary, rented accommodation. The cost of maintaining the school in this manner is high, both financially and emotionally. The school’s owners and founders, Tsegaye Kassam and Mekdes Gelawdios support the school through their own private means and the small income from the minimal fees charged to pupils.
The aim of the school has always been and remains to provide a quality education to children who might otherwise not be able to access mainstream education. Many of the children in effect attend for free, depending on means testing. Class sizes are kept relatively small. Teachers are paid slightly more than in state schools, in order to recruit and retain quality teachers.
Following the demolition and relocating, Raselas School’s future is at stake.
Anyone wishing to contribute financial assistance to Raselas School is encouraged to visit www.droporg.no for more information.
Current volunteers?
Erin van der Wyk (Australia) from September 2010
Former volunteers?
2009-2010
Inga Reichelt, Germany; UWCUSA 2007-2009 (inga.reichelt@gmail.com)
2008 to 2009
Ellen Renman Sweden, RCNUWC 06-08 (elle_n_r@hotmail.com)
2007-2008:
Mara Mesor, Hong Kong, LPCUWC 05-07 (marameasor@gmail.com)
Laura Katrine Svenstrup, Denmark, LPCUWC 05-07 (laura.svenstrup@gmail.com)
2006 - 2007:
Yiftusira Girma, Ethiopia, UWCSEA 04-06 (yiftusiragirma@yahoo.com)
Anna Thorning, Denmark, MUWCI 04-06, (anna_thorning@hotmail.com)
Joanna Bojczewska, Poland, MUWCI 04-06 (bojczefska@go2.pl)
2006: The late Daniel Ahlsen, Sweden, RCNUWC 04-06
Nareg Aslanian, Jordan, RCNUWC 04-06 (nareg2626@yahoo.com, nareg26@hotmail.com )
2005-2006: Lisa Gullbransson, Sweden, RCNUWC 2005 (lisa.gullbransson@yahoo.se)
Neha Khandwani, India, Mahindra 2005 (neha_uwc@hotmail.com)