In March 2012 I will be helping to build some new classrooms for a primary school near Awassa, south of Addis Ababa. At the moment pupils are taught in dark and collapsing huts which are hugely overcrowded and with your help we will build six new classrooms and latrines as well as providing the furniture.  Of the children who enrol at primary school only 23% complete it and go on to secondary level so this school improvement programme will encourage children to stay on longer, gain a higher level and better quality of education.

Ethiopia is one of the world's poorest nations and this is the second most densely populated area in the country. Those living in poverty continue to be vulnerable to shocks, especially climate related events such as drought and infant mortality stands at 77 deaths per thousand births and under 5 mortality at 123 deaths per thousand. Only 51% have access to safe water and 23% access to sanitation facilities.

This will be the fourth African school that I have helped build with Plan International and my colleagues from Turner Broadcasting. The others are currently up and running in Mali, Rwanda and Malawi.

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