Raey of Hope – Devastating storms jeopardizing Raey’s future
ABVC support Raey of Hope for over 8 years now and recently this letter with devastating news was received. We are heartbroken.
My name is Dr Carolyn Roesler, Lead Practitioner at Primary Elizabeth Medical Centre, South Australia and co-founder of Raey of Hope, a not for profit children’s charity that supports the delivery of meals, clothing, education and medical aid to hundreds of disadvantaged children and their families in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
A little background
More than a decade ago, whilst volunteering in Ethiopia, I was introduced to Ethiopian couple, Mengesha and Freiwhot Gugsa, two teachers who had taken it upon themselves to rent a shed using funds raised through their church, in an attempt to start a school for children facing extreme poverty.
When I saw the extreme malnutrition, maggot infested sores, and a host of other illnesses of the children in attendance it was apparent that not only education, but medical aid and nutrition was vital. It was in this moment I was compelled to support Mengesha and Freiwhot in providing hope for the sickest children I had ever seen.
Today
From humble beginnings in a tin shed with a dirt floor and 38 children, many of whom were orphaned, the Raey School (meaning “vision” in Ethiopia’s native language Amharic) has developed into a community project with running water, buildings for kitchen, medical and educational facilities, providing schooling, health care and nutritional support to more than 500 students, with 8000 children remaining on an ever-growing waitlist.
The Raey School and Community Centre is for children from 3 years of age, whose families suffer from extreme poverty and illness. Many of these children have lost their parents to HIV/AIDS. If not for Raey, most of these children would not receive an education in such a protective and nurturing environment, nor have their health and nutritional needs attended to.
Each student receives a minimum of 2 meals per day, uniforms, shoes and medical care. Support and education for sustainable measures is also provided to the parents, guardians and wider community to ensure the project’s ongoing success. This includes poverty reduction strategies such as income generation through leather works and women’s empowerment, providing training to build the skills of the mothers of Raey children, many of whom are affected by HIV.
Through the compassion and support of businesses, sporting clubs, school fundraisers and individuals, Raey of Hope has survived 12 years with zero overheads and is now recognised as an NGO and a registered Australian Not for Profit Charity. Every single donation counts, whether aonce off financial contribution, sponsorship of a child ($1 per day), supplies or services. With academic successes and lives transformed, Raey delivers hope to its children, with a focus to remove them from the perpetual and dangerous cycle of poverty.
Devastating storms jeopardizing Raey’s future
Ethiopia has recently been hit by severe storms which have caused enormous damage to our school’s external structure. Inspecting the aftermath has been extremely confronting for all of us who support Raey. Years of hard work have been blown away including the schools fencing – a government mandatory requirement. Word received today has advised that rather than repair, the government has made the decision to bulldoze the damaged area and demand a rebuild, a cost far beyond anything we could have been prepared for. The fence is our utmost priority to keep Raey School from being closed by the government.
If you would like to know more, please visit our website www.raeyofhope.com or contact us via any of the avenues below:
+61 8 8366 6500
info@raeyofhope.com
Yours Sincerely,
Dr Carolyn Roesler
Raey of Hope Children’s Charity Ltd
