Good news!

We at Med, are very happy to be able to inform  you  that the "Breakfast for the children at the Akaki Mengist school" program is going to be a reality.
The project is about giving breakfast to the 33 special needs children and adolescents and 150 other children in the school for a whole year. AEA Solidaria (Air Europa and Globalia) have decided to fund the project.
Members of AEA Solidaria will travel to Ethiopia in August to see our programs and the schools we work in. That way they will get a first hand impression of the needs in the area and the work Mediterranea does.
The Mediterranea schools in Akaki programs are growing and so are the number of children that are given breakfast every day at school. With the incorporation of the Akaki Mengist to the fold we will be helping to feed over 1000 children.
In Abugida the children receive, breakfast, lunch and merienda.


Thank you AEA Solidaria!

www.facebook.com/aea.solidaria

Graduation Celebration in Abugida

Niki arrived today in Abugida (Ethiopia), she too is a teacher from the Escola Global (Mallorca), and so far she is the 4th volunteer to arrive there this month.
She and Laura II will train the teachers in the Abugida school in making learning a more fun experience.  On arrival she partook in the graduation celebration for the children leaving Abugida. They celebrate this with a great fiesta and every one comes with the best attire they can get their hands on to look their best on this very important day. The children sing, act and dance for the public. Afterwards a refreshment is had which consists mostly of popcorn and coffee.

In Ethiopia the graduating from one academic level to another is an important ceremony and the children dress with togas and each one is given a  bunch of flowers
This is a very happy day, but in Abugida there is a slight tint  of sadness as with their graduation these children leave their friends, teachers, good nutrition,  hygienic conditions and their security.
In this picture we can see Phil giving  a short speech to the families  on behalf of Mediterranea . We hope to soon have lots of pictures of the children who were the stars of the day.

Training of the staff in Akaki Mengist

Message from Laura (Occupational therapist)  and Crisitna (Psycchologist): Mediterranea volunteers in Ethiopia. Laura has been to help in our schools various times, and this is Crisitna's first trip.

The training of the staff in Akaki Mengist has started. The people being trained are 4 teachers, two of which work in the classroom with deaf children and the other two work with kids with intellectual impairment. One of the directors was interested in learning too and comes when he has a free moment Bruk (our new Med rep) is accompanying us all the time and he translates in to Amharik when a concept is too complex and explained in our English can lead to confusion. 


To begin with we have started with some outlines in reference to finer motricity and cognitive stimulation. We are interweaving practical work with simple theoretical concepts.
The first day was dedicated  to manipulating and creating materials and to rol-playing, acting out work situations with the handicapped. Yesterday, even though it was holiday time, some of the students from both of the classes came to the school which was good so we could evaluate their levels and so the teachers could put in to effect what we were teaching them.
The four teachers are being very active, they are understanding the concepts and they are even putting forward ideas and proposing objectives. Today we will continue with all of this and there will be more children coming along.

Being a volunteer is about......

As someone said, "being a volunteer is about doing something positive with our life, helping somebody in need and experiencing a great sense of well-being from helping others. And you know what? At Mediterránea we know all about this because we are ALL volunteers.
We have had and continue to have some wonderful volunteers who do not fit the typical stereotype of the expat aid worker.

 Today we want to pay tribute to a very special volunteer who is working for us is in Ethiopia: PHIL BEAN. Phil has been in Ethiopia for the last 3 months and hopes to extend his stay for 3 more months. Phil, rather like a chameleon, has the great ability to adapt himself to his surroundings no matter where he is.

Our very own chameleon is able to survive on little resources, although he is getting so much out of the experience and really enjoying himself. He's not bothered about having to spend days without electricity when he stays at the school and now that there are 5 other volunteers arriving, he has very thoughtfully found himself alternative accommodation at the home of the head cook, so as to give them more living space. She has kindly allowed him to stay at her house for the time being and in August if necessary (you can see that they really love Phil in Abugida) whilst she will go and live with her brother.
 Those of you who have been to Ethiopia know how people live with very few resources. They are very small and humble dwellings with no running water and very basic communal toilet facilities, and, no matter how well we can try to describe them, you just can't imagine how tough it would be for us to live like that!!!!!! As of July they will have a "foreigner" amongst them who will live just as they do. Even the Ethiopians themselves - the lucky ones - would not live like that. We have nothing but admiration for him, as those of us who have been there know.  Phil is a wonderful person and a great volunteer worker. He can turn his hand to anything, be it carrying out repair work or looking after the mother of Fasika when the little girl passed away. He helps in the kitchen, with the children, wherever he is needed. He helps out with the figures and accounts. He works side by side with the director in an environment of mutual collaboration and respect. He has also sorted out problems which have cropped up along the way and which were not easy. He's always ready to move into action and has become totally indispensable. This is for you, Phil. With volunteers like you, MEDITERRÁNEA is richer, and YOU, dear Phil, make so many people happy!

fund raising event at the Escola Global School in Palma

On Friday 22nd June the  International school Escola Global, based just outside Palma, celebrated the end of the school year with a Summer Fair. This provided a perfect opportunity for some fundraising for Mediterranea. With two Escola Global teachers heading out to help at one of Med's schools in Ethiopia this summer & various parents already involved as members and volunteers, links between the school and the NGO are steadily increasing.  Parents, teachers and students worked together on different fundraising schemes, which included a very popular raffle and an even more popular game of Soak the Teacher! Funds raised totalled over 550EUR, although special mention should go to Fair Organiser Serafine Klarwein and also to young Lola and Tabitha Clarke who with their combined cake stall & apple-bobbing game raised 55EUR between them.

To continue or not to continue, that is the question.

4th world Mallorca.

Our programs in Mallorca are ever growing. The feeding of the children in Sa Pobla by Mediterranea, started at the beginning  of this year and   initially cost us just over 700€ a month. As you know the population of children in need is increasing all the time and at present the cost of the food for this sub program alone is over 2800€ a month. This amount has to be added to what we pay  for food for the roofless in Palma, the Dignipacs and the food for the 400 people in Plamnova. So our expenses at present for these 4th World programs are at the 5000€/month level.

So as to be able to sustain all of this we are going to be needing more fund raising events and members who subscribe to Mediterranea. The monthly donations given  by members provide sustainability. Fund raising events enable us to carry out specific things in a given moment, but on a long term, the subscriptions is what allows us to take on lasting projects in aid of those with an on going problem.

We have members who subscribe and help with what they  can per month. There is no minimum, and obviously there is no maximum. All help is help, and is put to good cause. 

O a personal level, my wife and I are members of, and subscribe to other organisations even though we are volunteers and members of Mediterranea. One thing does not take from another. We feel that all help is good help.

Dr.Michael Stoma