Ethiopia for Teachers

Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad grant

July 1-31, 2010

17 educators from 7 states across the U.S.

Co-sponsored by Kansas State University and Ethiopia Reads

Ethiopia

AFRICA

Ethiopian Flag

Ethiopia’s neighbors:

Sudan, Eritrea, Djibouti, Somalia, Kenya

“Claims to Fame” Only country in Africa never colonized – was

occupied by Italy for 5 years Lake Tana is the source of the Blue Nile, which

joins with the White Nile to become the longest river in the world.

Lucy’s bones, hominid bones dating back 4.4 million years

Legend says the Ark of the Covenant is located in Ethiopia

Biblical account of Queen of Sheba visiting Jerusalem. Legend says son of Queen of Sheba and King Solomon founded Ethiopian empire.

Ethiopia

13 months of sunshine! Capital city: Addis Ababa Population: 85 million people Area: almost twice the size of Texas Currency: birr 13 birr = $1 U.S. 1 birr = about $.07

Language

Over 80 languages spoken. Official language: Amharic English learned in school English is the language of instruction in

schools for high school and college

Fidel

Ethiopian alphabet

Heard from experts on the topics of:

Health care Public & private education Ethiopian history Religion US Aid to Ethiopia Art Traditional music

Topics…

Literacy Filmmaking Children’s book authorship/publishing Agriculture/coffee export Teacher education programs Village life Gender issues Water / sanitation projects

Special Highlights

Reading with Ethiopian children in Awasa using books from the Donkey Mobile Library

Conducting a bookmaking workshop with teachers from Fregenet School

Delivering books to Ethiopia Reads libraries

Visiting a rural village Water Project

friendship

peace

understanding

tolerance

respect diversity

human rights

health care

education

partnerships

acceptance

Notable Places We Visited

Lalibela– 11 churches carved from stone, subterranean,

connected by tunnels, 800 years old

Gondar– “Camelot of Africa”, castles from the 1600s

Blue Nile Falls