January 27, 2022
Dear Friends and Supporters,
January 16th 2022, marked an extraordinary milestone for the Fregenet foundation.
On that sunny morning in Bishoftu, Ethiopia, the Fregenet Dembi Elementary school was inaugurated.
The school with its beautiful design and spacious classrooms, including library, computer lab, clinic, cafeteria and kitchen as well as a multipurpose room for training, music and art classes, overlooking Yeka Mountain was designed and built with the collaboration of the Fregenet foundation, Fregenet Kidan Lehitsanat, Metaferia consulting engineers and Flintstone Engineering.
A festive mood was shared by the guests, which included government officials, local elders, board members of the school and the foundation, as well as partners and supporters of The Fregenet foundation.
Aba Geda Beyene Senbeto, a very popular local elder, officially inaugurated the school and explained how the road getting to this moment was anything but smooth. He congratulated the team on having persevered despite the challenges, and highlighted the importance that the school had for the local community.
His sentiment was shared by members of the community who took the stage to express their gratitude and the relief they felt having a school close to where they lived. They previously had to send their children to a school several kilometers away which, in addition to inconvenience, added an extra burden of transportation cost to their already soaring living expenses.
Ato Fikremariam Yifru, chairman of the FKL board, was followed by Ato Tafesse Woubshet, President of The Fregenet Foundation, and together they took us through the 17 years journey of the foundation. From the tragic loss of a young girl who had a big heart and big dreams, a girl who believed education to the young shouldn’t be a privilege, to the heartwarming way that her family and friends of the family, with the help of those who shared their vision, came together to make sure her dreams came to life.
The new school is a testament to how a few good hearts, a resilient spirit and a shared vision can accomplish great things.
Fregenet Dembi Elementary School, is hopefully going to be the first of many of its kind. With the continued support of all of our partners, the model will be replicated all over the country, especially in areas where the school infrastructures have been destroyed due to the recent crisis the country has faced.
With you by our side for the longer haul dear friends supporters, this is just the beginning and the sky is the limit.
Thank you very much,
The Fregenet Foundation