LALIBELA AND ITS STUDENTS

LALIBELA is a town in Northern Ethiopia known for its monolithic churches. What does it mean? These magnificient churches have not been built but carved ( hewn) out of the rocks. They have entrance doors, windows, richly decorated walls, roofs. They look like other beautiful churches in the world but they are unique in building technique.

photo by Ronny Reportage

The Orthodox Church of Ethiopia is Christian, one of the most ancient of all Christian churches.
The rock-hewn churches were made in the 12th century during the reign of King Lalibela. Tradition has it that people were helped by angels to cope with this enormous work.

King Lalibela became a saint and the churches have their yearly feast on his nameday  which happens to be Christmas Day. According to the Coptic Calendar it is celebrated on the 7 th of January.

photo by Ronny Reportage

 Come and join them on this day, hear the trumpets and the drums and chanting of hundreds of priests, watch thousands of the faithful gathering dressed in snow white robes, singing and praying  around the
church areas. This is the brightest day of this fascinating place. Similarly they celebrate TIMKAT (Christ's Baptism or Epiphany, on 19th of January),  Easter (changing according to the orthodox
calendar), New Years Day( 12 th September). You find many photos and accounts about these holidays in tourist brochures.


Their everyday life is not so bright.

The tourists (like me) are exposed to all kinds of impressions: country folks walking many miles barefoot  with their animals to the market,  tiny houses in the town centre where smoke comes through the open doors, children begging, youngsters determined to sell you souveniers. The town  is surrounded by poor agricultural settlements lacking electricity, water, drainage, roads, medical help, schools. Altough there is much rain in certain seasons there are no reservoirs and the harvest is often devastated. People die of typhus and other illnesses that we have forgotten a long time ago.

We are not dealing with these problems, it is well known and several benevolent organisations provide some help.

      photo by William Palank

We aim at the education of young people so that they can study and, after obtaining their degree, to help them get established to reach an acceptable standard of living for themselves and for their families.

During my visit the number of school children  astonished me. There are numerous elementary and secondary  schools in Lalibela crowded with children  from nearby villages and farms. Beautiful faces, thin figures ( children obesity is not a problem in this country!) cheerful , friendly boys and girls playing during the breaks. Schools are free including colourful uniforms but when you look closer you
find serious deficiencies: school books ragged, torn, used by several generations, shortage of copybooks, exercise books, even of pencils and pens, not to spoeak about modern educational equipment. In one class there are 80-95 students even at secondary level ( I was told in the country up to 500 children with one teacher).

When secondary school is over,  children of 18 years, for higher education, they have to move to Addis Abeba to state or private colleges. This is practicly impossible without a sponsor from abroad.
Lodging and school fees cost approx. 150-170 USD per month in modest conditions.

Our history has proved that without higher education poverty reproduces itself through generations, a circle almost impossible to break.

All these talented children are waiting for a miracle to happen: a SPONSOR to appear for their further studies to achieve their goal, to become independent adults to earn their living. These miracles do happen, Lalibela is a tourist place. Some children are lucky and meet the right people  in spite of the police trying to chase  them away from harrassing tourists. Most hotels, restaurants, country jeeps and taxis, souvenier and art shops are based on help from generous foreigners. Doctors, enginieers  are also educated by sponsorship.

The alternative is frustrating agricultural work or cutting stones to pave Lalibela streets.