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Workneh Dechasa Memorial 2021

Saturday 15th May

3pm UK time
4pm CET
10am EST
5pm Oromia (Ethiopia)

Please join us to remember our dear friend, colleague and family member Workneh Dechasa who passed away on 13th May 2019.

We shall remember the important and joyful contribution he made to so many of our lives and we will share our plans to create an Elementary School in his home village as an enduring memorial to him. 

Anyone wishing to contribute poetry, music or reminiscences will be welcome. Let me know beforehand so we can include you in the programme.

I hope you will all be able to join on the day.

Join us on Zoom

Aster (Gifti) Belay 

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What can we do to help?

Our vision is that WDEF and WADA operate as two independent partner charitable organisations, one facing the Oromo diaspora, the other locally focussed in Oromia. The first organisation has registered as a charity and trustees have worked with Workneh’s friends and family in Oromia to register the local group and gain support from the education authorities.

The primary focus of international WDEF will be to fund-raise, finance and manage the project accountably. WADA will take responsibility for fulfilling local legal requirements, liaison with the authorities, planning and building the school.

We can’t undertake accurate costings without detailed plans but as an interim target, we would like to raise $150,000 by the end of 2022.

We believe that the the Oromo communities across the world, together with their friends and supporters, have the resources, skills and talents, to enable us to surpass this target, providing they know what we are trying to do and understand our reasons for doing it.

Building networks

WDEF has a small core of founder trustees who are handling the charity management functions, accounting, reporting, translating etc. Assistance from supporters would be gratefully accepted in any of these areas.

We have established a website at workneh.org.uk and a mirror site in Afaan Oromoo afanoromo.workneh.org.uk. Supporters can join our mailing list via the website. We plan to send monthly updates of progress, to which we hope supporters will contribute news of their activities; we use an online WordPress blog which makes it easy for supporters to submit content directly. We are in need of more photos of the area around Malkaa-Dhangaa Gudar

Although the Oromo site is currently hosted in the UK and has content reflecting the work of the UK registered charity, it could be developed to develop interest in the project in Oromia. Both websites are designed to be readable on hand-held devices to maximise the number of people who can access them. Afaan Oromoo fluent supporters could assist in developing this website to ground the project in the Oromo communities locally and internationally.

We see supporters in different parts of the world as potential nuclei to develop local fundraising networks. Probably the most reliable source of funding is to build a group of supporters who commit to making small regular donations. At the moment the website doesn’t provide the facility to make these commitments because there has been a delay in opening our bank account, but we are optimistic this will be rectified shortly. We would hope that supporters will subscribe to our mailing list, receive regular updates on the progress of the project and commit to making monthly donations they can afford. The role of the current group of supporters is to spread the word and grow the project.

Events and sponsorship

We know that the Oromo diaspora contains many talented and creative individuals, such as musicians and artists. We also believe that Oromo communities would support and enjoy events, auctions, dinners combining entertainment and fundraising components. Such events will take a lot of organisation and some funding, but by the time we have the go ahead to build the school, we believe it will be time for a major funding drive to which these events will make a significant contribution.

Once the COVID restrictions are lifted we can look towards sponsored events such as Marathons or other challenges. We can apply to be a recognised charity for major events or groups of friends could organise informal competitions. Some of you may already have experience in organising or participating in such events so it we can use your expertise. Even if you’re organising something for the first time you can share your experiences to motivate other supporter groups.

Share your skills

We have already had 2000 tee-shirts printed in Oromia and are planning to sell them via the website. Supporters may be interested to run street-food stalls or engage in other activities of this kind. Those with commercial or marketing experience may be able to provide us with expertise in this area.

In parallel with these activities when we have the necessary permissions and support in Oromia we will make applications to major charitable funders to help us reach our funding target. Supporters with experience of making funding applications will be invaluable in identifying appropriate funders and compiling applications.

Whatever skills and ideas you have to offer, we can probably use them. Contact us and let us know.

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Why rural schools matter in Oromia and Ethiopia?

Educational development plans in developing  countries have stressed the need to develop the economic, social, and political potential of their population through a public education system that has emphasised rural development. A look at  the educational system in Ethiopia where more than 80 per cent of the population lives in the rural areas, revealed that the educational system was geared towards urban development and neglected the rural sector. Hence, Ethiopian education was characterised by the concentration of educational resources in urban areas and selected regions and there is a need for more rural school to meet the gap.

The mission of The Workneh Dechasa Educational Foundation (WDEF) is to narrow this  gap between schooling in rural and urban areas  and  to establish primary school in Workneh hometown  Guder Town, Oromia. It is main aim to promote educational opportunities in disadvantaged communities in Ethiopia. The foundation also  recognises that Ethiopia has one of the lowest primary school enrolment rates and one of the highest illiteracy rates in the world and  aims to narrow the gap between schooling in rural a and urban areas in Ethiopia  in the area. 

There a number of advantages of building rural primary schools surrounding Guder area in Oromia:    

  • Firstly, it provides an opportunity to build capacity and knowledge in the rural population, helping them to make informed decisions about their farms and to innovate in agricultural affairs. 
  • Secondly, it also benefits the communities by employing teachers who would otherwise be without jobs and income. What is even more important is by benefiting students, families, teachers, and other stakeholders, those individuals develop the skills and stability to help others, thereby perpetuating an ongoing process of community development.
  • Thirdly, it will help to address the shortage of schools for rural children in surrounding areas, where we are planning to build the primary school.  What is even more evident is that students the rural areas face difficulties over and above students in urban areas and the journey to school is likely to be longer in the area. 
  • Fourthly, it will help in improving the lack of enough school places in the area. It can also cut down the current high class size that affects the quality of education in primary sector.

For these reasons, it is one of Workneh Dechasa Educational Foundation  (WDEF) priorities to work with the rural schools in Oromia,  particularly in Workneh home area as there are  demands from the community for  primary school for rural children.