The Ethiopia Project as part of CAS program

Since January 1999 students at the International Secondary School Eindhoven (ISSE) carry out the "Ethiopia Help Project". The aim of this long-term project is twofold:

1. to involve ISSE students in informing parents and other students about the Ethiopia project and organize fund raising activities.
2. to set up some connection and interchange between the ISSE students and the Ethiopian students.

What is CAS? 

CAS stands for Creativity, Action and Service. It is a scheme which is an important part of the IB Diploma, and continues education outside the classroom. Students of International schools have an opportunity to develop their own skills and interests, and to contribute to the community of which they are a part. CAS is intended to help them develop as an individual, through the process of self-assessment and evaluation.

Every year a group of new ISSE students take over the "Ethiopia Project" and continue supporting students in Ethiopia. The team organize and take initiative to setting up various activities, create awareness on education in Ethiopia and raise funds for a specific goal.

ISSE connection with the Wolaitta Liqa school in Ethiopia

In 2009 the ISSE established a special connection with the Wolaita Liqa school in Ethiopia. Students of the Ethiopia project assessed the needs of the Liqa Public School. Based on the answers of the interview the ISSE students are implementing new plans every year to support the Liqa school and students.

June 2010 Henriette Grootantink, former CAS coordinator at ISSE,  visited the Wolaitta Liqa School. Click here to read her travel journal!  October 2011 ISOB team were present at the yearly CAS event and met new CAS coordinator Jo Nowell and DP2 students that carry on the Ethiopia Project in 2011 - 2012. New students subscribed to join the CAS action.  These students (photo) send this message to the students of the Wolaita Liqa school:

Dear students of the Liqa school,

Despite the large distance between us, we, the students of the Ethiopia Project at the International School of Eindhoven hope we can work closely towards a brighter future for us all, because there is a lot we can learn from each-other. We already have one question for you all, we hope to raise funds for your school throughout this year though various fund-raising activities here in our local community; and we would like to know what you would like to achieve with the funds (of around 600 euros). We are open to your ideas and hope to hear from you soon!

About Wolaitta Liqa Public school in Ethiopia 

The overall goal of the Wolaita Liqa Public school in Ethiopia is to help Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC's) who are brilliant and talented to give them access to quality education.  The school runs programs from grade 5-10 for students in the 12-20 age group. Even though the students are poor economically, they are high achievers academically.  These students are the regions HOPE to bring prosperity.

What are the needs of the school?

The number of orphans and poor students in this school has increased from 197 in 2007 to 432 in 2010!  Every year a new grade is added to the curriculum. The school has a  need for:
- a school canteen and an Aula

- more Laboratory equipment
- extra Classrooms

- extra sanitair

- a dormitory

- a schoolbus 
Most students live in rented rooms in town but this can be unsafe, specially for the girls. Therefore the school has a plan to build a Dormitory in the future.

It is also a wish of the school to have a schoolbus.

How does the Ethiopia project contribute to the Liqa school?

Throughout the year the Ethiopia team is busy setting up activities to create awareness and raise money, e.g. selling goods on eBay. On 2010 CAS day ISSE students Atiq, Mike and Mithra were interviewed about the Ethiopia project. This interview has been shown to the Liqa students in June 2010 during a visit to the school and 5 Liqa school student were interviewed in return.
Liqa student club received a € 50 donation of ISSE students -  the school received € 300. They all appreciate the help of ISSE students very much. 
Octber 2010 CAS event: the Ethiopia Project team handed over € 290 to Zelleke  click here to see the video of this event and Liqa students received it in april 2011. 

April 2011: students came togehter to pack 512 study books and install and pack 22 computers for the Library and new classroom of the Liqa School. ISOB and ISSE sent this donation to Ethiopia in December 2011. 

One student made a film about poverty and the help we can give.

Other Students organized a dodgeball toernooi and a marathon and raised € 491 for the Liqa school.

Other contributors who support the Wolaita Liqa school improvement plan:

ASN Foundation (ASN Bank, a Bank for a sustainalbe World of Tomorrow) with a fund of 1000 euro for the schoolcanteen. (Nov 2010)

Stichting Wees een Kans with a fund of 3000 for the School canteen. (Nov 2011)

ASML Foundation with a fund of 5100 euro for the Library and computer lab. (Dec 2011).

"Adopting a Liqa School OVC Student"  

Many of the OVC students have no families to support them. Liqa teachers give them small pocket money to pay for their rent, food, clothes and books. This is a burden to the school who already have lots of challenges. You can help by adopting a Liqa School OVC Student.

As an adopter you pay 12 Euros per month Cost-of-living allowance for 1 students. Read all about this action in:   or in

The "Adopt a Liqa School OVC Student Action " involves a minimum of 12 euros per month for a minimum of 6 months.  It is a joint Action of ISOB and WODA. 

Ethiopia Help project in the past - Actions of ISSE students:

• The first group of students organized a sponsored walk from Eindhoven to Amsterdam.
• The second group involved in a sponsored cycle ride to The Hague, a distance of around 170 kilometers;
• The third group held a sponsored training weekend at the Rhine Army Parachute Association where students and staff were jumping from a plane.
• October 2002 a large donation of books has been brought to Amsterdam by the ISSE students of the Ethiopia Help Project.
• The fourth group of students organized a sponsored cycling tour through Holland. This action raised the largest amount of money and broke the record of all others teams so far.
• In 2004/05 ISSE actions were adopted by Wilde Ganzen in Hilversum as a "Youth for Youth action"! Wild Geeze doubled their collected funds up to 70% for the construction of "Soddo Public Library".
• 2006/07 student groups contributed over 400 Euro each! ISOB added this money to the Library project. The money has been used for the dispatch of school books and computers to the Woliatta Liqua Public school in 2009.
• The 2009/10 group made a questionnaire for WODA about the needs of the newly build Liqua school. New students are  working out a plan of action according to the answers that Liqa School gave. 

Most students in Ethiopia lack access to information that is freely available to the students of the Developed world. The precious investment of the ISSE students to the students in South Ethiopia is therefore of uncountable value to the long term development of Secondary Education in Ethiopia.