I am Saddened By What I Saw
I saw the video that Dejene brought from Azezo. It shows the bad shape of the school as described very
well by the teachers and Parent Committee members. I am saddened by what I saw. It is heart breaking. Kids don't have to go
through this ordeal. This world is a very unfair place and they don't deserve this. I am also overwhelmed by a deep sense
of guilt for not doing any thing significant and questioned the worth of many of my past views and actions in my sheltered
life here in the West. It is beyond me why a priceless community asset deteriorates to such a low level that even words are
not enough to describe how deplorable the conditions are.
Hope is the reason for living. When hope ceases to exist, life begins to become meaningless. Schools
are meant to embody hopes, aspirations, and dreams. It is just only the courageous struggle of the community including that
of teachers and students that help maintain the hope and help the school continue functioning. Otherwise the aura there is
full of despair. For most kids and family members, the only ticket to get out of the dire conditions that they are in is the
school. We spent the formative years of our life there, and now we are scattered around the world. This is the very same door
that we walked through, and this is the very same place that we shared all the good and all the agonies of life. It is depressing
to see students bring rags (Selen) from home to sit down in their classrooms. It is heart wrenching to witness that most classrooms
are devoid of any sign that would label them as a minimally decent learning site.
The problem in Azezo is as immense as it is diverse. We cant solve them all. But we are capable of
doing all we can so that we as a group will have some sense of collective pride. I also know that we can easily caught up
with the commitments and duties of daily life in the West, but no matter what, we should not forget our roots. We are the
fortunate and the luckiest one, and we should extend our hands within the limit of our resources.
I dont think I have any different view from most of you but for what ever its worth I have the following
suggestions:
1. It is true that the deplorable condition that our schools are found is very well known to all of
us. But pictures are more powerful than words, and hence let every one see the video that Dejene brought.
2. It should be recalled that various alumni members have made efforts to help the school in the past.
Although such efforts were very successful they were not all inclusive. In other words membership was low. The lack of effective
communication coupled with the fast nature of life in the West may have contributed to the low number. In order to do any
thing substantial, our numbers must grow, and this is possible if we form an Alumni Association for the school. I read about
some high school Alumni Associations in the Internet, so the concept has been in practice for a long time. If we agree to
proceed with such an idea, it is essential to reach and enlist every one who attended the school in Azezo. The only way we
can pull our resources together and implement any meaningful project is when we form such an association. If we fail to do
this, then the alternative would be to maintain the status quo. That is, (1) To continue with our lives being oblivious to
our community cries, (2) To help them in haphazard and temporary fashion (hit and run), (3) To be hypocritical (Kenfer Memtet
without any positive action), (4) To simply procrastinate (hoping to do it some other time).
3. Lets our venture be a continuous process. Lets have various initiatives from time to time. Let all
the initiatives be simple, small, specific, and very clear. We can start with helping the elementary school the first time
around.
4. Lastly, implementation of any initiative should be transparent so that members will have trust and
confidence with each other or with any one involved in the common venture. The best way to ensure this is to build an effective
communication system between the Alumni Association and the executioners of the initiatives.
It is only my hope that our community plight for help will not fall on deaf ears.
Yours,
Dawit Mulugeta
Illinois, USA
November 12, 2003
