Ethiopia's First Lady Roman Tesfaye visited our Learning Lab in Bogale Walelu with regional education department leaders this summer. During her visit, Tesfaye inspired students to continue their summer education, especially girls.
Tesfaye visited the school compound after her visit to the Learning Lab accompanied with other successful Ethiopian women. Visits like these encourage female students to continue in their studies despite the hardships they often face.
Because of this desire to learn, female students are using creative ways to extend their learning even beyond the classroom.
Bethelehem Yonas is one of three female student-volunteer coordinators over the summer Learning Lab program. Yonas said she often uses her phone to download reading materials to study later during the night, when the Learning Labs are closed.
Not only does Yonas use the downloaded content for her benefit, but she shares her downloaded learning materials with other female students who aren't able to come to the Learning Lab.
Her example has inspired an increase of female users at her Learning Lab in Badessa. Out of the 247 students who used the Badessa Learning Lab over the summer, 45% were female.
The Learning Labs enable girls to make an impact in their community, like Yonas already did by her example, and in their countries, like Tesfaye did by her visit.
The First Lady's visit to our summer Learning Lab program again demonstrates its success, and will have positive impacts as the school year begins again.