Newsletter from Ethiopia - September 2023 Dear Supporters, Sponsors, Partners and Friends We hope this newsletter finds you well and full of enthusiasm for our latest update on our Tennis Social Project. Your continued support has been invaluable in making this project a reality, and we are excited to share the progress we have made over the past few weeks. In our July 2023 newsletter, we announced that we will be regularly updating you about our work and our children's activities over the past few weeks in the future, approximately every 2-3 months. 1. Recent activities a. Life Skills Children aged 12 and above received instruction in Life Skills from Mrs Makeda Tsegaye on four Saturdays. Teaching life skills to children, especially those from slums where they must be resilient to survive in this challenging environment for children, is crucial for their personal development and future success. Life skills encompass practical abilities and knowledge that enable them to navigate various aspects of life effectively. During these sessions, discussions revolved around positive character traits and values that are significant in a person’s life, such as honesty. Kindness, compassion, integrity, respect, courage and other similar virtues. Mrs. Tsegaye explained to the children and teenagers the significance of a vision board. A vision board serves as a kind of “guide” for their goals and helps anchor them in their consciousness. It is a tool that assists them in staying on course, staying motivated and actively working towards the realization of their dreams. Sofia Seifedin, a 10-year-old girl with incredible determination, has shown remarkable progress in her tennis skills. She told us, she dreams of representing her country on the international stage someday. Eyob Yonas, a 10-years old boy, has shown remarkable progress in his tennis skills. He dreams to be a professional tennis player and medical doctor in the future. Yabsira Mebratu, a 10-years old boy, has shown remarkable progress in his tennis skills. He dreams to be a professional tennis player like DJokovic. b. Basic Computer Skills Mrs. Makeda’s daughter (Maraki) and her niece began volunteering a few weeks ago to teach our tennis children how to use a computer. These computers were newly donated to the project. As a practical exercise, the children learned how to write resumes, which will undoubtedly be of great importance in the near future when they apply for jobs. Additionaly the two young ladies provides English reading and comprehension lessons to the children in three different learning groups, twice a week, based on their age and prior knowledge. 2. National school leaving exam Twelve participants of our social tennis project wrote last week the national school leaving exam. The results will not be announced until end of September, but we are very optimistic that all twelve past the exam and in fact we expect good or even very good results. 3. How you can help Your support can make a world of difference. Here is how you can contribute to our mission: a. Donations: Your financial contribution can help us continue to provide food tennis equipment, coaching and additional teaching to these deserving children. b. Spead the Word: Share our story with your friends, family and colleagues. The more people know about our project, the more lives we can touch. 4. Thank you for joining us in making a difference We believe that every child deserves a chance to shine, regardless of their background. Together we can make a lasting impact on the lives of these Township Kids and help them reach their full potential, both on and of the tennis court. Thank you for being a part of this incredible journey. We look forward to sharing more success stories with you in the coming months. Tariku A special thanks to Mrs Makeda Tsegaye and her daughter I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to Mrs. Makeda, her daughter, and niece for their time-consuming dedication to our children. Their voluntary involvement has allowed us to offer a range of additional relevant opportunities within the scope of our social project
