WWO Ethiopia
Since 2005, our work in Ethiopia has continued to evolve to meet identified needs and gaps in services, helping marginalized children to thrive.
WWO Ethiopia
Early Childhood Development
We are working in partnership with government preschools to bring our quality, play-based learning into the classroom and to empower teachers through training and coaching. Our work is focused in Addis Ababa, in the Yeka Sub-city. Our program increases the number of words teachers are using in the classroom, promotes listening and language development, introduces more children's books into the classroom, and helps children stay tuned in, engaged, thus enhancing the learning in the classroom.
Community Based Youth Support Program
We also have a long-term commitment to proudly take care of children from our Community Based Youth Support Program (CBYSP), a holistic, residential program for youth.
Impact in Ethiopia
When the Ethiopian Ministry of Education adopted a policy to ensure access to public pre-school for all children, WWO was invited into these preschools to train teachers in our learning through play method. WWO is shifting the culture of learning, classroom-by-classroom, from rote memorization to joyful engagement and play-based learning. Students accessing WWO's Element of Play program are 3 times more likely to be ready for 1st grade than children who did not participate. When children can’t meet their educational milestones, this shortfall in learning during the school years eventually shows up as weak skills in the workforce. This perpetuates a cycle of poverty.
Today, hundreds of teachers have been trained in the Element of Play and nearly 7,000 children are receiving the benefits of this research-based, method.
To learn more about our work in Ethiopia, check out our latest Impact Report.
Programs in Ethiopia
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Element of Play®
WWO is building the capacity of hundreds of preschool teachers to deliver quality play-based learning for thousands of children in government-run schools. By increasing teacher motivation, giving them additional skills and alternative approaches to address behavioral issues in the classroom, the learning environment becomes a safe space for teachers and students.
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Positive Youth Development
WWO provides care and support for children and youth living in our Community Based Youth Support Program (CBYSP.) This children’s home was opened at the request of the Ethiopian government and since then, children were transferred into the care of WWO. We remain committed to seeing that the remaining children in our Community Based Youth Support Program are either reunited with family, adopted, or are living independently.
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Camp Addis
In Ethiopia, Camp Addis activities are designed to teach children life-skills, interpersonal-skills, healthcare knowledge, and to renew their resilience and sense of hope in the most exciting and creative ways. This annual summer camp allows children living with serious illness an opportunity to bond, build friendships and increase their confidence.
Make a donation.
In Ethiopia, 29% of children live in monetarily poor households, and 89% of children are multidimensionally deprived of the fulfillment of three or more basic needs and rights. Donate today to help provide children with access to early child development programs.
Partnerships
We have many partnerships across Ethiopia that help us deliver our programs. Click here for a full list of our collaborative partnerships.