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Top Student is First in her Family to Attend School

Updated: Nov 8, 2018

Elfe was raised alongside her 10 siblings just outside of Addis Ababa. They were a family of farmers, and worked in the field instead of attending school. Because there were so many mouths to feed, her parents arranged her marriage at age 16. She was wed against her wishes, and pregnant soon after. Feeling like a child still herself, Elfe moved back home to birth the baby and have her parents help her raise the child. Her father was angry with her for breaking the marriage contract and her husband was angry that she had left him. Elfe made the difficult decision to leave the baby with her mother and find her own way in the world.


Elfe (right) and her daughter, Kalkidan

She worked at various odd jobs in Addis Ababa, when she met and married Girma. They had 3 children, and their lives started to reflect that of her childhood. Girma had never been to school either, and neither of them possessed useful job skills  He worked back-breaking manual labor, making very little money.  They were living in such extreme poverty that Elfe applied for government assistance, and through that program, found Lelt.


Their daughter, Kalkidan, enrolled in Lelt’s Child Sponsorship Program last spring, and demonstrated such drive and academic progress that she was enrolled in Amanuel Private School.  As Kalkidan says, “In my public school, we were sitting 3 or 4 kids in one chair. There were so many kids that I could only attend half-days, and it was felt like I wasn't learning anything. Now I am in a great school with teachers who inspire me.” Kalkidan is one of the top students in her class, receiving a 94% overall last semester.


Kalkidan and her entire family are receiving life altering assistance from Lelt Foundation thanks to her sponsor. To help another child in great new please sponsor here. All sponsorships are non-contractual and never binding, so you can sponsor as long as you prefer.

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