Garden of Plenty

Not only is Gindo getting a new education center, it is also the site of a new garden being built as part of the BEKA project.   The garden is down the hill from the construction site for the new education center. 

Sign at the entrance of the garden.

The garden is for the BEKA guardians, mostly females, so they can grow vegetables and sell them to the education center.  The education center serves one hot meal a day to the children, and require fresh vegetables every day.  This allows the guardians to generate an income from the sale of the vegetables like carrots, potato, beet root and cabbage. 

Construction of seed beds in the garden.

The men in the community are helping to construct the fence, guard building and the seed beds.  The men are part of a program called "Foresight Fathers" which allows them to help and improve their community.  

The Foresight Fathers hard at work.

The children at BEKA are awesome!  They are very well behaved, and so cute in their green vests and white shirts.  Each child introduced themselves to us and the sang us songs, performed 3 dances and one drama skit.  The BEKA center is oozing with talent!

Half of the students at BEKA - you can see why a new center is required.

Two girls drumming songs for the dancers.

Nicole with BEKA girls Workalem and Ligalem.

Too cute for words!

 I interviewed 14 or so children and many of them said that the best thing that happened to them this year was the day they started at BEKA and got their new clothes (school uniform).  They also said their favorite part of the day is when they get to eat their injera. An interesting perspective into the lives of these precious kids.

Interviewing Dawit with the help of Bisrat and Dawit's teacher.

 Steven taught the kids "Itsy Bitsy Spider" complete with actions and it was a hit.  He showed the students on the map where we are from.  He would say "Calgary" really quietly, almost in a whisper and the kids would whisper back.  Then he would do it again, with the kids responding louder and louder.  Eventually Steven and the kids were yelling "Calgary!"  "Calgary!".  We all laughed, and I felt a tug of homesickness.

Steven playing the "Calgary" game.

Steven brought along his tool belt and hammer knowing he would be assisting with the construction of the new BEKA center.  He spent the remainder of the day with the construction crews, who had very limited tools.  At the end of the day, Steven gave his toolbelt and hammer to one of the workers.  What a creative, loving and generous man.

Tomorrow we return to BEKA to finish the interviews and to start the medical exams for all students.