Filling the Gap

A note from Mike …
In our mission to help people break out of poverty, we find it helpful not just to study the causes of poverty but also the causes of prosperity too. Factors ranging from national policy issues to cultural values and local community challenges can all have an influence on our efforts to help our families overcome poverty.

Ethiopia has long intrigued me because of this nation’s approach to provide a free college education to everybody, regardless of one’s background or income level, but only to the very best and brightest. Last year, as an example, only 3.4% of the 12th graders scored high enough to secure admission to a public university.

Dig down deeper in these numbers though, and you’ll find a miracle in them. Of the 15 12th-grade Samaritan Scholars in Ethiopia last year, 10 passed the exam and are in college now, an amazing 67%. In his reflection below, Engidawork Lemma shares one of the reasons our scholars are flying past their peers.

Prior to becoming Samaritan Scholars, many of our students in Ethiopia couldn’t always attend school. They struggled to learn basic English and numeracy skills due to their inability to afford tuition fees at public schools. Now, thanks to your generous support, many of these scholars attend private schools with excellent educational systems. Still, when national assessments revealed gaps in their understanding, especially in mathematics and English, we knew that we needed to do something more than just pay for their school fees. To help fill their academic gaps, we created a tutoring program for younger scholars using the network of our college scholars and graduates. 

One of our tutors is Zenebe, a dedicated scholar in his third year studying software engineering. Zenebe lives in a one-room rented home near the dumpsite with his parents, two siblings, and an aunt. Finances are tight. They sleep on cardboard on the floor. Yet despite their economic challenges, Zenebe has always remained hopeful that he’d be able to complete his studies. He told us the day he became a Samaritan Scholar was the happiest day of his life!

Not only has Zenebe been able to pursue his educational dreams, but he continues to give his time and energy to his community. He comes to the Weingartz Family Life Center whenever he has time and asks how he can help. He has become a trusted tutor who personally knows each young scholar and enjoys teaching.

Zenebe and other scholars are working tirelessly to help their young peers improve. During a recent capacity-building training session for gap-filling program tutors, I was inspired by the enthusiasm and dedication shown by Zenebe and his fellow scholars. They used to be simply scholarship recipients. Now they are program leaders and role models. This transformation has given them a newfound sense of joy and fulfillment in serving others, demonstrating that true happiness lies in giving rather than receiving. It also sets up the young people coming behind them to exceed the high bar they have already set, not just for getting a college degree but for making a difference in our community and nation.

Engidawork Lemma, Ethiopia
Youth Development Coordinator

Engidawork brings over 15 years of expertise in empowering adolescents and youth through leadership, personal development, reproductive health, and program management. As a dedicated professional, he specializes in facilitating and delivering tailored training for different populations in various educational settings.