Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, December 26, 2023 – Yared was born in the outskirts of Addis Ababa thirteen years ago. In early childhood he lived with his parents and younger brother, but two years ago his parents went through a very difficult separation and Yared went to live with his mother. She is unable to find full-time work and is employed as a part-time manual laborer, only hired for occasional small construction jobs. This demanding work has taken a toll on her health as she hand carries heavy loads of bricks and sand. To complicate her failing health, she earns only about $44 a month, so she and her boys aren’t eating regularly.
Yared joined Lelt’s programs and has been receiving daily nutritional meals, after school tutoring, a school bus transportation stipend, and school supplies. These supports have enabled him to attend school regularly, and his grades have been improving. Yared's favorite subject is Science and he dreams of being a doctor when he grows up. When Lelt’s team asked what services he most preferred at our community center, he said he appreciates the after-school tutoring, but his favorite support is the daily lunch service. For the first time in years, he has reliable sustenance, and knowing that he will eat every day gives him the stability and balance he has needed to focus on his education and future.
