“I learn a lot of things from the stories”

Through providing supplementary readers for schools across regions and engaging teachers and communities to encourage and help children to read the stories in these books, the Reading for Ethiopia’s Achievement Developed Community Outreach (READ-CO) project is enhancing the literacy environment and complementing school curricula.  Emnet Dereje met some of the beneficiaries of this project in Soddo Zuria woreda and came back with Azmera’s story. 

Azmera, nine, is a second grade student in Dalbo Wogane Primary School. She was a slow language learner at the beginning. But after she joined the reading camp in her school, Azmera has substantially improved her reading and writing skills. Save the Children trained reading camp volunteer, Amanuel Tegeno, says Azmera is now one of his good students, and he is very happy to see many of his students including Azmera showing “a significant improvement in their reading and writing skills.”

“I come to the reading camp every Saturday and Sunday afternoon at 2pm,” says Azmera who also likes the games she plays with her reading friends before they start reading in the club.

“I like reading books. I learn a lot of things from them,” she said, adding “I recently read a book about the benefits of planting vegetables and fruits in our backyard. There is another story about a thief caught by a policeman while robbing a house. This story teaches me the need to keep away from bad things and do good.” She does not necessarily like all the stories though.  “There is particularly one story I did not like. It is about a man who carries his shoes and walks barefoot. I think he should have worn the shoes instead,” she reflected with broad smile.

Azmera would like to go to college and become a teacher.