Geduta Primary School: Working with the Local Community

Project Ethiopia Staff in front of the completed Gudeta Primary School

Ato Mola is a 45-year-old who lives in Geduta Village, where Project Ethiopia recently completed the building of a primary school for students in grades 1-8. Mola and his wife Mula have been married for 22 years. They started their life together with gifts from their families of two oxen and two cows, plus a little over 1 acre of farmland. Mola and Mulu now have five children, ranging in age from 8 to 22, with farmland of 5 acres.

When they were young, Mola and Mulu both hoped to get an education, and their families worked hard to provide it for them. However, the nearest primary school was 8 km (5 miles) each way and involved crossing rivers and a main road with heavy traffic. Despite these challenges, Mola achieved an 8th grade education. His father sacrificed his time when Mola was in grades 1-4 to help him cross the river safely for his trips to and from school each day.

When Mola completed grade 8, however, his family needed him to work on the farm. He was happy to support his mother and younger siblings, although he always wished there had been a school nearby he could have at least attended part time. This disappointment inspired Mola to work to establish a primary school in Geduta so his own children could get a solid education and improve their lives.

Mola and Mulu with three of their children

Starting a school in a rural community is a long and difficult process. In 2008, Mola and his wife worked with the entire Geduta community to build a small school to serve children in grades 1-3.

This was considered an “alternative school” where students met in one small grass-roof building built by parents. There were three teachers assigned to teach Amharic and English languages, math, and science. By 2011 the community had constructed one additional building to hold four classrooms, so they could add grade 4. Several years later the community applied to the District Educational Office with the request to upgrade the school to serve grades 1-8. The government delayed action on this request for many years.

Last year the government agreed to upgrade the school to Grade 8, but only under the condition that one more standard building be constructed by the community and completed by 2023. A standard building has four classrooms that can accommodate fifty students in each classroom, and is equipped with doors, windows, desks and blackboards. This seemed like an impossible task and was a devastating blow to Mola and the entire Geduta community. At this point the Geduta community, which was already assisting the project with volunteer hours and materials, sought help from Project Ethiopia. We immediately stepped in to assist the community to meet their project requirements and deadline. With the expert help of Project Ethiopia staff, the required standard building was rapidly completed. The school opened in September 2023, serving grades 1-8 for the Geduta Communty.

Mola currently serves as secretary of Geduta Primary School Parents Committee. The Parents Committee organizes and energizes parents to volunteer their time and talents, and shares resources to help improve and strengthen the school. Leadership of the School Parents Committee changes every 3 years so all parents get an opportunity to participate and guide the process forward. It operates very much like the PTSA groups in America, always supporting the interests of students and families in the community.