Mr. Valerio Neri, CEO of Save the Children Italy and Mrs. Marina Nissim, a notable donor, visited projects in Tigray

Mr. Valerio Neri, CEO of Save the Children Italy accompanied by Mrs. Marina Nissim, a notable donor, visited Education Integrated with Food security project implemented by Save the Children Ethiopia in Tigray region.

Various basic education projects have been implemented in the region through the funding from Save the Children Italy since 2006. The projects have contributed towards improving access to education and quality learning environment. Currently, Tigray Reginal Education Bureau is scaling up Save the Children’s Literacy Boost approach to all primary schools in the region. Education Integrated with Food security Phase I project is supported by Mrs. Nissim.  The team has visited four schools which has benefited from the project.

Mai-Daero primary school is one of the schools constructed with the support from Mrs. Nissim.    The visitors received a warm welcome from the students, teachers, parents and the community.

The school has 518 students from ‘O’ class (a preparatory class before children join the first grade) to eighth grade.  Mrs. Nissim had a chance to meet some of the students and impressed by the fact that the children were actively participating in the class activities.

The school has clubs such as school parliament, girls’ and science clubs which are formed and lead by the students.

The other school visited by the CEO and Mrs. Nissim was Kihen primary school. In this school, ‘O’ classes and additional class rooms was constructed by the support of the donor. The school is located in the area affected by the current drought in Ethiopia. Thus, Save the Children is providing water trucking for the school and the government is providing school feeding programme.

The education project has food security and livelihood component to provide economic support for poor families which in turn improve the student enrollment. . The poor family, identified by the school community, will receive agricultural inputs including dairy cow, bee hives and sheep so they can generate income for their families.

Currently, most of the beneficiaries of this activity are single mothers.

The CEO and visiting team have also visited some of the food security and livelihood beneficiaries.

During a brief meeting with Save the Children team, the visitors have said that collaborative efforts are required to keep schools providing quality education and favorable environment for students and the community. She has appreciated the literacy boost approach and the livelihood intervention.

The CEO, Mr. Neri noted that during our programming in the schools, involving the community and the government is important to sustain good starts and approaches.