Well, the end of the financial year anyway, although with the daffodils up, the sun shining and the birds singing, it feels like new beginnings to us here at Kindu. As we enter into the new financial year, we have the opportunity to assess our current projects and begin to implement new and exciting ones as well. All of this is thanks to the generosity of our wonderful supporters, so thank you!

March at The Kindu Trust

Last Week in Numbers

94 children received hot meals
29 toddlers went to playgroup to enjoy toys and have a soapy bath
16 children read books from the library
15 kids played football and had soapy showers
4 families were visited at home

Annual Report Published

For a full update on how all our projects went in our last reporting year, and how many children we supported, you can read our Annual Report. It includes impact reports on our development programs, articles and the financial breakdown of how we use our resources. Our Annual Report 2014/15 is now out and available here

Fire in Gondar – Our Emergency Appeal

As some of you may have heard, there was a huge fire in Gondar this month. It left over 150 families homeless, including two of The Kindu Trust’s sponsored families.

The fire began at 11pm in the residential area of Arada, near the market in Gondar. The source of the fire is unknown but, taking place at night, families had to flee their houses quickly and leave everything behind.

The area destroyed by the fire contained 165 homes, all basic wood and mud or even wood and tarpaulin structures and all the families living there are disadvantaged. Ahmed and Seyda’s, the sponsored children affected by the fire, are now living in a temporary tent alongside other families. Already impoverished, the fire left them with nothing.

The Kindu Trust team arrived at the site quickly when informed by the local authorities and brought all our spare clothes to distribute among the families.

We then began an emergency appeal to raise money to rebuild the homes destroyed and begin to give security and stability back to those affected. We were aiming to raise £ 2,000 overall, which would provide building materials and cover labour costs for rebuilding houses. We were also hoping to exceed this target in order to help furnish the rebuilt houses and make them homes once more. We are delighted to report that we have raised an astonishing £ 6,000 so far! Thank you everyone who donated! We are continuing to fundraise as the more money we receive, the more houses will be built. If you would like to donate, you can do so here.

Skateboarding Empowering the Youth of Addis Ababa

Ethiopia has a budding skate scene that is helping young skaters develop and better themselves. At the beginning of the movement, there are no skate parks, skate magazines or easy access to skate boards in Ethiopia. Now, in the capital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Skate is connecting the skate kids of Addis to skaters internationally and providing skate equipment and space to young skaters. Building confidence, creativity and community, it encourages healthy activity and can provide an escape from the difficulties of daily life.

An exhibition by Berlin photographer Daniel Reiter recently showed in London, with pictures of the skate youth culture scene that is developing. As he put it so well: “These kids move with unstoppable courage, and if they fall they just get back up again and try again. It’s an awesome way to show the passion and drive of these young kids in Ethiopia. My goal is to really show how simple it can be to bring joy and happiness to their world.”