School Registration Day

On 1 March 2010, Kate registered 40 children for nursery classes Playgroup 1 (age 3) and Playgroup 2 (age 4) at Empress Mentewab School.

The registration was carried out at the local government office in Dib Bahir.

"The children are from poor families in and around Dib Bahir village," says Kate. "Some are orphans living with grandparents; some are from single-parent families; all are malnourished and stunted."

Empress Mentewab School will open for the second semester of the 2009-10 academic year in March 2010.

Fees for the 40 children for half of the 2009-10 year (Semester 2 only) are 2,500 birr per child (£125, 140 euros, US$200). There is no hope of the families of the Playgroup children affording what to them is the equivalent of a year's income. Kate is seeking benefactors who will pay the school fees on behalf of each family in return for a copy of the pupil's school report, a school newsletter and a photograph of the assisted child in July, at school year-end.

For information about how to pay the school fees for a child at Empress Mentewab School, please see the GIVE section.