Matt Stockdale

1 in 10 girls in sub-Saharan Africa misses school when she’s on her period. With menstruation lasting an average 5-7 days per month, that means a girl could be missing 60 days of school a year. In some cases, girls drop out of school altogether. Link Ethiopia’s programmes are designed to enable disadvantaged children to go to school and continue their education to their full potential. Puberty, and starting your period, is difficult for girls anywhere in the world. For…

Written by Alan Taylor and Elsa Kebede. In order for Link Ethiopia to ensure that their work is as effective as possible, they must be well-connected in that country. This is why apart from the London office, Link Ethiopia has two larger offices in Ethiopia: one in Gondar in the north, and one in Bishoftu in the south. Having a strong presence in Ethiopia means that Link Ethiopia are incredibly aware of the work that needs to be carried out,…

Written by Alan Taylor. I was delighted to be back in Gondar to attend the ceremony which formally closed Link’s Library Improvement Programme after three successful years. The Library Improvement Programme was launched in 2014 to help libraries in local schools which were often not well used to support teaching and learning. 26 schools from Gondar and the surrounding areas have taken part.  School librarians received training in basic library practice (stock control, records of loans and returns) as well…

Written by, Alan Taylor On 13 March 2017, (or 4 Makawit 2009 according to the Ethiopian calendar) I visited Dudmegn Elementary School with Zemene from the Gondar office. The bus journey took 2½ – 3 hours each way, passing through varied countryside full of agricultural incident and activity – stolid oxen bearing a large hump above balanced by large oxhood beneath, kids frolicking by a water course, sheep and cattle heads down grazing the flush of grass brought about by…