The Kindu Kids at the top of the Simien Mountains!

At The Kindu Trust we like to think that development is about more than just meeting the basic needs of families. Improving quality of life is just as vital. As sponsors, we’ve seen the dedication and generosity you show your sponsored children and how generous and thoughtful gestures from you can transform a child’s day. We aim to build on this through the Kindu Klub where we provide a safe place for the children to learn and play and the opportunity to take trips and learn more about Ethiopia.

It is a sad fact that visitors living in other continents are more likely to see the wonders of Ethiopia than the children who actually live here. When we realised that the majority of the sponsored children and their siblings had never been outside of Gondar we thought it was important that, wherever possible, we should take them on trips and show them the wonders of their own country. This February that meant: A Trip to the Simien Mountains!

The Simien Mountains are one of the national parks of Ethiopia. Located in the Amhara region of Gondar, the mountains include Ras Dashan, the highest point in Ethiopia, and they are home to a number of endangered species.

On the morning of the 7^th of February Kindu staff set off with two buses, 108 soft drinks, 16 kilos of bananas and one hundred Kindu children! Our

The children sang and danced on the long journey to the mountains

Sponsorship Manager, Marta, describes the day:

“We left the Gondar compound at 8:00 am in two big buses!  The round trip to the mountains took more than 10 hours driving.  It is 141 km away from Gondar and the buses moved slowly because they were carrying children. The children were very excited anyway and started the journey by singing in chorus. On the journey they were singing and having fun with their seat mates and some of them were even dancing and encouraging others to dance too.

Once we had arrived, the walk up the mountains was only 15-20 minutes from the road side and all the children ran like a road runner to see what is there! It was very difficult to walk on the grass on the mountains; you will fall to the ditch! But with the help of our brave and tireless groups, all of them have seen this walk with no harm at all! We were also guarded and accompanied by two boy scouts for our safety when we were visiting the lovely water fall.

Spotting the Geleda Baboon!

We saw Gelada baboons and rugged mountains too. Gelada baboons are indigenous to Ethiopia and they are magnificent. The children ran towards them when they saw them, but the baboons ran away! Some of the children saw Red Fox and got scared!

 At the end of the day the children were extremely delighted about the trip. Throughout the day they felt so lucky that they were visiting one of the highest places of Ethiopia and seeing it with their own eyes. What a beautiful chance for them to see Gelada baboons, with their own eyes too!

 On the way back we had lunch at Debark town with so much fiesta. The children had a good meal at a hotel and told how they wish to see more places like this one. The water fall, the beautiful scene and the baboons; they were astonishing! Words will fail to express their joy and satisfaction.

The Sponsorship Department Team were delighted when we saw the kids’ happiness! Our ultimate goal is working for the benefit of the children! This was one the best achievement in our department! We have shared their happy moments and felt happy too!”

The Kindu Klub trips are bi-annual events arranged as part of our Kindu Klub project; an extra-curricular youth club which works on many fronts to

The children looking down from the highest point in Ethiopia!

improve the lives of the sponsored children and their siblings.

Our thanks go to First Investment for making this, and many other trips, possible and to all those who make the activities of the Kindu Klub possible

through general donations or additions to their sponsorship payments. If you would like to know more about the Kindu Klub’s work or to donate towards the running of the Klub, please contact us at kindu@kindutrust.org or call on 07940 048 894.