News July 2009-3.doc

REAL News

July 2009

Resources for the Enrichment of African Lives 1400 E 24th Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55404 Letter from Tsehai Wodajo, Executive Director Heartfelt Greetings!! As usual, I am writing this letter to give you a REAL girls/young women education sponsorship update and also to once again ask you kindly and with humility to continue standing with us to Educate a Girl—Transform a Nation. With your support, this transformation has begun with 120 Ethiopian girls/young women who are being empowered to realize their dreams and transform their lives. We are getting good reports as a result of the hard work and dedication of the girls and also of those who work with them. The objectives we set for the program are being fulfilled as a result of all the mentors and administrators attending the two day workshop I conducted when I was there on my last visit in November. It is truly inspiring to read the reports on how the girls/young women are doing, not only in their education, but also in building a strong sisterhood and supporting each other to overcome hardships that work against them. They work hard to break the cycle of poverty, deal with cultural attitudes that diminish their self-esteem, and while working to give back to their communities. Please check our website, real-africa.org, soon under reconstruction, for updates. I also would like to let you know that REAL has some leadership changes. I have now taken the role of executive director. Our president is now Cheryl Kyle. Ann Jensen has the responsibility of sponsorship coordinator. We are currently all volunteers, though we would welcome grant or other money to have a part-time staff person. With some designated grant money, we are planning to hire a part-time young women’s leadership development program coordinator in July. She will work with East African young women here around cultural identity and leadership development, and the young women in this program will be connected with our sponsored girls in Ethiopia. We are also looking at other organizations with whom to partner, in addition to our wonderful church partnerships with Nokomis Heights Lutheran Church, Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd, and Zion Lutheran in Thief River Falls. We are excited about the future of REAL. Thank you for your partnership with us in building a future for girls/young women, their families, and their

communities. We hope that you are able to continue your sponsorship for the 2009-2010 school year. Friends of REAL Work with REAL Girls/Young Women Kathleen Moore left for Ethiopia on June 3. She was a Peace Corps teacher in Ethiopia at the same time as Sponsorship Coordinator, Ann Jensen. Kathleen plans to spend a year in Ethiopia, and while there will work with our girls to improve their English writing and speaking skills. Through her we will be able to receive regular updates about the girls and their progress, as she spends time in several of our sites. This spring, 2 other women, Terese Pritschet and Lyn Mitchell spent several days at our Hosanna, Kotobe, and Burayu Kata sites. Terese shared stories from her time with our girls at our Spring Event on May 16. We hope that these women are only the first of future volunteers! If you are interested in traveling to Ethiopia and volunteering (for a few days or longer) while you are there, please contact Tsehai Wodajo, Executive Director of REAL. REAL Receives Computer and Projection Equipment Through an estate gifts grant, Nokomis Heights Lutheran Church has provided REAL with a computer, printer, and projection equipment to share the story of REAL’s girls/young women with other congregations and organizations. Thank you, Nokomis Heights! REAL Dates for Your Calendar October 3, 2009 Sponsor Acknowledgement Gathering

May 15, 2010 Annual Celebration and Fundraiser

Spring Event Provides Critical Support Our May 16 Celebration and Fundraiser was another success, thanks to all of our sponsors and supporters, to those who donated items and services to our silent auction, and to Augsburg College, who donated their space and support staff. The event raised over $7500 for the coming year’s program. This money will be used for travel to Ethiopia and other administrative costs and to cover sponsorship program costs not covered through committed sponsorship dollars. For

example, for the past school year, we were short 2 mentor sponsorships, which were each $1440. (The cost of a mentor sponsorship has needed to be increased to $120 per month. Do you know of a group who could take that on this year?) Thank you to everyone who contributed to the success of this year’s event!! REAL Sponsorship Update REAL is currently sponsoring 120 girls and 8 mentors in eight different locations in Ethiopia.

Site Nedjo Bodji Burayu Kata Nekemte Hosanna Gimbi Ayira/Gulisso Kotobe

First School Year of Sponsorship 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2006-07 2007-08 2007-08 2007-08 2008-09

Most of the girls currently supported by REAL are in the 7th or 8th grade (56 girls). In addition, there are 10 girls currently on a vocational track of study, while 8 are on college track. All of the REAL girls send their thanks for the support of their sponsors. Without this support, many of these girls would not be able to continue their education. While most of our sponsors live in Minnesota, 8 live in other states and 1 lives in Sweden. We currently have 109 individual or household sponsors, 4 congregational sponsors, and 7 group sponsors, which include book clubs, bible study/circles, extended family groups, or professional groups.

If you know of an organization for whom we could do a presentation, please let us know! Also, a great way to spread the word about REAL would be for you to have a gathering at your home of friends and family with whom we could share information and photos. We hope you will consider this way to help out REAL. The cost for sponsoring a girl throughout a school year continues to be $360. Sponsorship for a mentor is now $1400. Meet the REAL Board The board of directors consist of the following individuals. • Tsehai Wodajo, Executive Director • Cheryl Kyle, Chair • Randy Hoversten, Treasurer • Carla Sykora, Secretary • Ann Jensen, Sponsorship Coordinator • Christine Hurney • Erik Kaaya The board welcomes your involvement in this program. For volunteer opportunities, please contact REAL at www.real-africa.org, [email protected], or Tsehai Wodajo at 612.724.2096.

Help REAL Sponsorship Grow Resources for the Enrichment of African Lives 1400 E 24th Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55404 http://resourcesforenrichingafricanlives.blogspot.com