Hope University
In Ethiopia, University education is a luxury that only the wealthy can afford. There are no support services or loan systems like in the UK and for the average Ethiopian who lives on just £1 per day, it simply isn't an option.
The inadequate university infrastructure also means that many students are forced to go abroad to complete their qualifications. This is an option only available to those with the means to pay. Furthermore, those who do go abroad often do not return to Ethiopia due to the opportunities they are offered elsewhere. As a result, valuable skills and expertise are lost and a severe shortage of highly trained people is created.
It is vital that we increase Ethiopia's capacity to offer this level of study so that talent and intellect is nurtured within the country and enterprise and leadership is readily available for sustainable positive changes to occur.
In 2006, Ethiopiaid donated £1 million to Hope Enterprises to fund a new University in Addis Ababa. The University is designed to attract the top talent from all over Ethiopia, regardless of wealth or background, and will be a valuable resource for progress and enterprise.
The centre itself contains a beautiful courtyard in which the elders sit, work, sing and eat together. It is an extremely happy and social place, a welcome change from the desperate loneliness some experienced before.
The groundbreaking ceremony for construction took place in December 2006 and was attended by the Ethiopian President Girma Wolde-Giyorgis, the British Ambassador Bob Dewar and Ethiopiaid representatives.