What is a Sponsor?
A sponsor is someone like you who has made the decision to personally invest in the life of kids in need. As a sponsor, you enable your sponsored school to stay open and offer an education program. Education offers life-changing benefits.

How much does it cost to sponsor a school?
It depends on the school. On each individual school page you will find a table with the yearly budget and the number of students who benefit from your support.
All contributions are tax-deductible.

Can I just give money and not sponsor a school?
Yes, we are also raising money to dig a Bore hole (wells), and have a Doctor make regular visits to the schools and villages. Please contact us, send a check, and we'll let you know how it will be used. Every little bit helps.

How can I communicate with the school I sponsor?
This village has no electricity, no phones, no public transportation. We will provide you with the ability to correspond to your school by letter through the Bishop. The school you sponsor will know your name, write to you, and benefit directly from your sponsorship. Your school will write to you at least twice a year. We encourage our sponsors to send a photograph and short letter of introduction of your yourself, your family to the school . A connection to someone outside their world can be a stepping stone to moving out of the poverty in which they live.
We will do our best to provide you information to follow the progress of your school.
As a donor, you will have access to:
* Pictures of the teachers, school, and children
* Statistics of your school
* Access to your school progress reports
* Newsletters
* National Statistics

Will I have an opportunity to visit the school I sponsor?
We will be offering the opportunity to visit the school you sponsor on a Sponsor Tour. It's an unforgettable experience. You can find out more about Sponsor Tours by talking to Shelagh or Peter Klein.

How do we insure that support actually benefits the school I sponsor?
We are working with the Catholic Church, through the Priests and the Bishop of Adigrat, Ethiopia. It is 100% Ethiopian run and all the money all goes directly to the schools as there is no overhead. It is not a missionary, it is about making sure everyone can go to school. We know the Bishop and Father personally and having seen the other projects that they support, we believe in them and their work.
We also conduct audits regularly to make sure funds are properly received, tracked and managed. But it's not enough to insure that funds are reaching your school and being spent on planned activities. Like you, we want to be sure that real development is taking place in the life of every sponsored child attending that School. At Educate Ethiopia we will work hard to monitor and evaluate the long-term impact - right down to each individual School. Any time we see an irregularity, we take immediate and appropriate action.

What percentage of expenditures are spent on program activities?
100%.
We are 100% volunteer (no paid staff) and we do the work.
In saying this we need volunteers to help.
If you interested in giving time or money, please contact Shelagh Klein 01932 254 553 or Sklein@educateethiopia.com

May I send books, or other supplies to my school?
Yes, but in an appropriate way. Ethiopia is a very poor country, and it would be better to send money to the Bishop who would then purchase the supplies or gifts on your behalf. This helps the economy of the country and also enables the purchase of simple things that the school children can enjoy. Games with batteries, heavy items that cost a lot to send, and western style toys are not always appropriate in a simple primitive village.

How long should my sponsorship last?
The costs that are quoted are cost per year, sponsorship offers you the opportunity to sponsor a school for any number of years. While we hope that you will be able to continue in your support of your sponsored school, we recognize that sponsors' circumstances sometimes change. You may discontinue your sponsorship at any time.
Please understand that a sponsored schools circumstances may change, too.
We will inform you as quickly as possible if any such circumstance affects the School you sponsor, and we'll offer you the opportunity to support another School in need of your help.
Please try to notify us as soon as possible so we can find a new sponsor.