Education In her first visit to the country in 1995, Jean Bailey visited the library of the Azezo High School and was horrified to discover that this school with more than 2000 students had a library containing just 50 very old and largely irrelevant books. During the next two years Aysanew and Jean collected and air-freighted around 600kg of educational books for the school. This also led to the consideration of a more sustainable project to help these disadvantaged children. So began the Azezo education project.
Prior to Aysanew and Jean’s efforts many academically bright children were forced to drop out of school because their parents could not afford to keep them there. Girls were needed to look after children at home, while the boys would have to earn money to support the family. Work placements are still hard to find in Azezo and a coveted place at a teacher training institute, college of nursing, or university is open to stiff competition from other young Ethiopians who grow up in a more advantaged situation.
To date The Aysanew Kassa Trust has created a real air of hope and optimism for many children in Azezo. The Trust's work, although on small scale is making a tangible difference. So far more than 120 children have not only completed high school as a result of the support given but they have also achieved a university degree or diploma. Aysanew’s dream of many years ago is coming to fruition as these lawyers, doctors,
nurses, engineers, pharmacists are now working not only to support themselves and their families but are contributing to the wider community’s and country’s development.
It is the Trust's real hope that more with people prepared to offer financial help to this impoverished community, a real and long lasting difference can be made to the whole village.
