The past week at The Kindu Trust in numbers:

136 children got hot meals from the Kindu Klub and Play Group

87 children used the Kindu Klub library

14 children played football

10 home visits were carried out by the Sponsorship team

Music to Our Ears

This fortnight we’d like to take the time to give our thanks to one of our (many) amazing supporters: Samh. Having visited Ethiopia a few years ago, singer and guitarist Samh was motivated to do his bit to help by recording an EP with all profits going to The Kindu Trust. The aptly named, Samh In A Green House, was recorded in his father’s green house and includes 4 songs and a video. So far he has sold enough to raise over £800! This is put towards running the Kindu Klub and setting up new income generating projects for the families of the sponsored children and we are extremely grateful for his original fundraising idea and his brilliant music. There are still some albums left, they are  £4 each and, as an artist described as “a unique performer with infectious rhythms, melodies and humour”, you could do worse than picking one up. You can buy the album on the charity page he’s set up and you can even check out the tracks it includes online first by clicking here. If you like what you hear, you can find out more about Samh on his page https://www.facebook.com/samh.song.

Happy Fasika!

Fasika, Easter in Amharic, is a big deal in Ethiopia, where it precedes Christmas in importance on the Christian Orthodox calendar as they celebrate the resurrection of Christ. Though it normally falls after Easter in the Western calendar, this year Fasika will be celebrated on Sunday 20^th April. A much awaited celebration, Ethiopians begin preparing 55 days in advance when they pray daily and start a fast which can mean giving up animal products including meat and dairy and not eating until after 3pm. Good Friday involves a strict fast from all food and on Saturday people are preparing their houses (and larders!) for the celebration the next day. Christians attend church from midnight to pray and go home at 8 o’clock in the morning. To mark the day of Fasika a chicken or lamb is slaughtered and families come together to share food, drink Tela (traditional beer) and celebrate. Ethiopians wear the national dress of brilliant while priests are dressed in brightly covered, ornate robes and carry velvet umbrellas. As you may imagine, the feast is an important part of the celebrations and you can buy an Easter Family Dinner or Easter Family Parcel, including basic kitchen items and utensils, for your sponsored child or a child living in poverty in Ethiopia to help them celebrate the day in the full spirit of Fasika!