Beneficiary: Ayenalem

Ayenalem is a 15 year old girl from the small town of Sheno, two hours outside of Addis Ababa. She has 7 sisters who along with their mother all work as housemaids for menial wages. Ayenalem's father is a day laborer who works when he can. 

Ayenalem has never attended a real school and started working as a maid at the age of 12. Her past employers promised to enroll her in school but none ever did. Luckily Ayenalem's most recent employer has agreed to give her the time she needs to attend classes and study. 

Ayenalem is eager to get her education and a recent experience with taking care of her older sister's terminally ill newborn baby has made her want to be a doctor.

EBS Inc. will enroll Ayenalem in the 1st grade at an evening program at the local elementary school at a cost of 29Birr ($1.53) a month. This will be the first step in Ayenalem's journey to make a better future for herself.