Fruit

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Kassahun Esatu

From the Streets to Academic Excellence: A Story of Resilience

Age: 10   |   Grade: 3   |   School: Abela Gefeta Primary School

3rd / 80

Class Rank, Semester 1

2×

Malaria Treated & Recovered

Street → School

Complete Reintegration

HIS STORY

Kassahun Esatu grew up in a household held together by rain-fed agriculture; an income that arrived only in certain seasons and disappeared for the rest of the year. When his parents separated and his father left to begin a new family, ten-year-old Kassahun was left with a mother who had no stable income and no support system to fall back on. Food was scarce. School materials were unaffordable. Medical care was out of reach.

Feeling abandoned and without hope for the future, Kassahun left home in 2017 E.C. and began living on the streets of Soddo Town. He dropped out of school. Far from the stability of home and classroom, he suffered from repeated bouts of malaria and recurring nosebleeds, with no means to receive treatment. Street life deepenedhis vulnerability at precisely the age when a child's education should be taking root.

WHAT CHANGED

The project responded with a holistic intervention designed to address every dimension of Kassahun's crisis:

• Family tracing and reintegration, bringing Kassahun safely back home by our team• School enrollment support to re-enter formal education without delay• Food assistance that stabilized household nutrition and reduced pressure on his mother• A complete school kit; uniform, backpack, exercise books, and pens; rebuilding his identity as a student• Medical treatment for two malaria episodes and ongoing care for recurring nosebleeds• Counseling and psychosocial support to rebuild his confidence and sense of future• Regular follow-up and coordination with teachers and school leadership to monitor his progress

REMARKABLE RESULTS

What happened next was nothing short of extraordinary. Returning to school after time on the streets, Kassahun threw himself into learning with a determination that stunned his teachers. He ranked 3rd out of 80 students in his class during the first semester; one of the top performers in the entire school, despite everything he had been through.

His attendance improved steadily as his health stabilized through medical support. Teachers describe him as disciplined, focused, and actively engaged; a positive example for peers. Beyond the classroom, Kassahun strengthened his participation in church activities, recognized for his good conduct and faith within the community. His mother, who once watched in despair as her son disappeared into street life, now speaks of renewed hope and pride.

"The project restored hope to my family during one of the most difficult periods of our lives. Seeing my son return to school, perform so well, and become the person he was meant to be; it has changed everything."

— Kassahun's Mother

WHY THIS MATTERS

Kassahun's story carries an urgent message: no child is too far gone to be reached. A child who had dropped out, left home, and begun living on the streets recovered; not just to average, but to excellence;when the right support arrived at the right time. Holistic intervention that addresses education, health, nutrition, family stability, and emotional well-being does not simply rescue a child from crisis. It reveals what was always possible in them.

Zemenu Mesfin

Restoring Hope Through Education: From Loss to Achievement

Age: 10   |   Grade: 2   |   School: Abela Ferracho Primary School

10th / 65

Class Rank, Semester 1

0

Missed School Days

3

Siblings Also Enrolled

HIS STORY

When Zemenu Mesfin was in kindergarten, generous neighbors and an older brother paid his monthly school fees so he could learn. That fragile support crumbled in 2017 E.C. when his father passed away, leaving the family of five without its primary provider. His mother, a housewife with no stable income, found herself overwhelmed;grieving, unwell, and unable to meet the most basic needs of her children.

To help his family survive, ten-year-old Zemenu spent hours herding relatives' goats instead of completing homework. He owned a single set of clothes; worn and faded; which attracted ridicule from classmates and quietly eroded his self-esteem. As food shortages deepened, the family began losing hope that any of the children would be able to continue their education. Zemenu's future, bright in kindergarten, had grown uncertain.

WHAT CHANGED

Recognizing the family's compounding vulnerabilities, the project enrolled Zemenu and two siblings in a comprehensive support program:

• Regular food assistance that ended the daily uncertainty of whether meals would be available• A complete school kit; uniform, backpack, exercise books, and pens — restoring his dignity among peers• Counseling and family engagement that reduced excessive work burdens, including goat herding, that had kept him from his studies• Coordination of medical support through relatives that eased the burden of his mother's illness• Ongoing academic monitoring and encouragement to sustain his educational participation

REMARKABLE RESULTS

Within one semester, Zemenu's progress exceeded all expectations. No longer burdened by hunger or humiliated by his appearance, he was free to concentrate fully on learning. He ranked 10th out of 65 students in Grade 2; a remarkable achievement for a child who had been at serious risk of dropping out; and maintained perfect attendance throughout the semester.

Teachers note meaningful changes in his character: disciplined, responsible, and a growing role model among his peers. The supportdid not only change Zemenu's academic trajectory; it restored hope to an entire family that had nearly surrendered it.

"After my father died, life became very difficult. Sometimes I had to herd goats to help my family, and I worried about food and school. Now I can attend school every day, study better, and focus on my future. I am happy because I have what I need for learning and my family has food to eat."

— Zemenu Mesfin, Program Participant

WHY THIS MATTERS

Zemenu's journey illustrates what is possible when targeted support meets a child at their most vulnerable moment. Poverty, parental loss, illness, and overwork do not have to end a child's education; but only if the right interventions arrive in time. With continued investment, Zemenu is not just catching up; he is becoming the hopeful future his family almost stopped believing in.

Abinet Teshome

A Chance to Learn Again: Renewed Hope in the Face of Hardship

Age: 10   |   Grade: 1   |   School: Abela Gefeta Primary School

Enrolled

School Attendance Sustained

0

Dropouts Since Support Began

Weekly

Food & Mentorship Support

HIS STORY

For ten-year-old Abinet Teshome, the desire to learn has never been the obstacle. The obstacle has always been poverty. Abinet's father works as a daily labourer; income that arrives irregularly and rarely covers the family's basic needs. His mother is a housewife. Together they care for a household member of four in conditions that mostwould find difficult to imagine.

The family has no electricity. When they can afford candles, Abinetstudies by this light during night. When they cannot; which is often;there is no light at all, and homework goes undone. The family depends on neighbors and relatives for food support, and some nights, everyone goes to bed hungry. Despite enrolling at BetesaidaKale Hiwot Church KG School during early age, Abinet was eventually forced to drop out: his family simply could not afford the fees or the most basic school materials.

Yet through all of it, Abinet and his mother have remained active members of Muluwengel Church, holding onto faith and hope for a different future.

WHAT CHANGED

During recruitment to enrol children to the program, team from Newthing identified Abinet's and, the following support was intervened: - 

• Annual provision of a school uniform and a complete set of educational materials• Enrollment in a weekly food distribution program that now reliably reaches Abinet and his family• Regular monitoring and follow-up by organization staff and field distributors• Moral teaching and student reflection sessions integrated into food distribution days, nurturing Abinet's character alongside his academic growth

MEANINGFUL CHANGE

The results speak quietly but powerfully. Since receiving support, Abinet has not dropped out; an achievement that, given his history, represents real success. His school attendance has improved significantly. Teachers report positive discipline and engagement in the classroom, and his academic performance shows genuine promise.

Perhaps most importantly, the weight on his family has eased. With reliable food support and educational materials secured, Abinet can arrive at school with focus rather than anxiety. He is building the foundation of an education, one day at a time, in conditions that would have stopped most children.

"The support has helped my child stay in school and continue learning with hope. Even during our hardest times, we now believe his future can be different."

— Abinet's Mother

WHY THIS MATTERS

Abinet's story is a reminder that for many children, the gap between education and exclusion is measured not in ambition, but in access. A uniform. A school bag. A weekly meal. These are not luxuries; they are the conditions that make learning possible. With sustained support and mentorship, Abinet has the potential to become not only a successful student, but a role model for every child in his community who has learned to doubt that the future can be different.

Tsion Wogaso

From Hunger to Hope: A Journey Toward Academic Excellence

Age: 11   |   Grade: 2   |   School: Abela Gebeta Primary School

9th / 35

Class Rank, Semester 1

0

Missed School Days

6

Family Members Supported

HER STORY

Eleven-year-old Tsion Wogaso woke up most mornings not knowing whether there would be food before school. Living in a household of six dependent on subsistence farming, Tsion's family rarely had enough to eat. Her mother, the second wife of an absent father, raised the children alone. The shortages grew so severe that Tsion's older sister had to leave home and live with another family. Tsion, the youngest, attended class on an empty stomach; unable to concentrate, unable to thrive.

Beyond food, the family lacked basic hygiene supplies, adding further hardship for a young girl at a critical stage of development. These daily struggles eroded Tsion's confidence and depressed her academic performance at a time when she needed stability most.

WHAT CHANGED

Recognizing Tsion's vulnerability, the project enrolled her and her younger brother in an integrated support program that addressed the root barriers to her education and well-being:

• Regular food support that stabilized household nutrition and removed the daily anxiety of hunger• A complete school kit; backpack, uniform, exercise books, and pens; giving Tsion equal footing with her peers• Ongoing academic monitoring and coordination with her school to ensure access to textbooks• Continuous family engagement covering personal hygiene materials and child welfare needs

REMARKABLE RESULTS

The transformation was visible within a single semester. With hunger no longer a daily distraction, Tsion arrived at school energized and ready to learn. She ranked 9th out of 35 students in Grade 2; a remarkable leap from her struggles in Grade 1; and achieved perfect attendance throughout the semester, not missing a single class.

Teachers describe her as disciplined, responsible, and a role model for her classmates. Beyond grades, Tsion has grown in physical health and emotional confidence, carrying herself with a sense of purpose that was absent before.

"Before the support, I often went to school without breakfast and worried about many things at home. Now I can focus on my studies, attend school every day, and perform better in class. I am happy because my family has more food, and I have the materials I need for learning."

— Tsion Wogaso, Program Participant

WHY THIS MATTERS

Tsion's story is a clear demonstration that when a child's most basic needs are met, her capacity to learn; and lead; is extraordinary. Integrated support addressing food security, education, and child welfare does not merely keep children in school; it unlocks their potential. With continued investment, Tsion is building a future that extends far beyond what poverty once allowed her to imagine.