EWKET
Learning to Thrive
Empowering vulnerable young adults in Ethiopia to thrive in life and work through emotional support, life-skills and vocational training
The Asko youth community is a group of vulnerable young adults living with HIV in the Asko region of Addis Ababa in Ethiopia. They have aged out of their orphanage and face multiple challenges including health, discrimination, youth unemployment and poor mental health.
Our vision is a fair world in which all young people have the chance to fulfil their potential and live their best lives.
We aim to provide learning tools and conditions which support the Asko youth to thrive through increased social, mental and economic wellbeing.
‘Ewket’ means ‘knowledge’ in Amharic (Ethiopian language).
Ewket the project believes that knowledge transforms lives and that knowledge helps people help themselves.
We support the youth to harness the transforming power of knowledge in different spheres of life to bring about lasting change. We take an integrated approach to individuals and the group through providing:
⦁ further education and learning of their choice (vocational and non-vocational courses)
⦁ psychosocial support (someone who knows them well is always there for them to talk things through, offer emotional support, follow their progress and encourage them)
⦁ self-knowledge and self-compassion skills through specialist counselling
⦁ life skills to enhance employment (writing CVs, interview technique)
⦁ job opportunity through networking
⦁ enhancing the strong bonds within the Asko youth community (recreational activities)
⦁ microbusiness support (through Income Generating Activities)
About Us
Ewket is a team of one project director in Addis Ababa, three volunteer trustees and one Ewket ally who live in London and have close ties to Ethiopia through friends and family.
Tizazu Amare
Ewket Project Director
Tizazu was an English teacher and then gained a master’s degree in social work and has several years’ professional practice as a social worker. He knows the Asko youth well and he is Project Director at Ewket in Addis Ababa. He is married and has two children.
Natasha Daintry
Ewket Founder and Trustee
Natasha is a leading British ceramic artist with work in museums and private collections. She looks after strategy and planning for Ewket, management for the UK office and liaison with the Addis team. She has an 11 year old son.
Roope Mannikko
Ewket Trustee
Roope is Finnish and after several years living in Stockholm and Manchester, he is now in London undertaking research on neurological diseases. He became involved with Ewket through his close connections to Ethiopia and he is responsible for administration and research.
Fiona Dalrymple
Ewket Trustee
Having run several businesses for 30 years, Fiona now develops and lets properties to young professionals in the greater London area. For Ewket, she is responsible for its finances. Fiona has three children.
Christina Cudworth
Ewket ally
Christina is a marketer by profession and has worked in several large corporates in the City of London. She is responsible for our Facebook page and website. She is married to a Swede and has three children.
“People love to say, “Give a man a fish, and he’ll eat for a day. Teach a man to fish, and he’ll eat for a lifetime”. What they don’t say is, “And it would be nice if you gave him a fishing rod”. That’s the part of the analogy that’s missing.”
Trevor Noah, Born a Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood
Tizazu, Natasha and Christina in Addis Ababa
UNICEF reports that there are 4.5 million orphans in Ethiopia, out of a total population of around 90 million. Parents were forced into abandoning their children as they could not afford to raise them due to crippling poverty and their HIV status. These children were cared for and educated in orphanages.
The Ethiopian government currently spends more than 20% of its budget on education and although this is one of the highest levels in the world, it is not directed at the youth who have now aged out of orphanages.
Ewket helps one such community – the Asko Youth – empowering them to thrive.
Beneficiaries
Here are some examples of the support Ewket has given to the Asko Youth, written by an Ethiopian team member.
(Names have been changed and faces blurred to protect identities.)
Erica
Erica studies accounting in a four-year program and is currently in her second year. She is now showing a positive attitude towards life and her education and is one of our most promising youth.
Maria
Maria is studying Accounting and is a second year student in a four year program. Our support includes her school tuition, transport fees and other costs related to her education. Maria is humble, kind and understanding. She has shown great dedication and commitment to her studies and to the program Ewket offers.
Mary
Mary first came to Ewket to study at beauty school because she was already working at a beautician. She has successfully completed a 6-month beauty school program. We have also enrolled her in an additional program which focuses on manicures and pedicures so that she has useful skills which will make her desirable in the beauty industry. She is working in a beauty shop and has recently gained a promotion.
Zane
Zane was temporarily incarcerated due to the political environment at the time. When he was released, he had no place to stay and we were able to rent a house for him until he could stand on his feet. We were also able to get three months’ worth of food and other materials that would help him.
Bella
Bella studied sewing and this has helped her get a place at design school. She also works in a garment factory which helps her understand her studies better as she gets a practical appreciation of the industry.
Helen
Helen has taken sewing lessons which has prepared her for her current course at design school. The program was supposed to last 6 months but due to Covid her education was halted and has required her to start from the beginning again. Helen is now part way through the six month program.
Yonaton
Yonaton came to Ewket to get a driver’s licence so that he could work as a taxi driver. We enrolled him into a three-month driving school program and successfully passed his test. He was employed for a while but is now experiencing challenges in maintaining a long term employment due the current pandemic.
Tim
Tim is passionate about being a DJ and we are trying to help him in acquiring equipment. We are assessing the situation from all sides so that we can properly follow up on his progress once the equipment is in his hands. This is Ewket’s first IGA project – income generating activity.
Follow our journey.
Make a donation.
To support our work helping additional Asko Youth, please donate below:
Bank details:
Name: Ewket
Bank: CAF
Sort code: 40-52-40
Account: 00035054
IBAN: GB37CAFB40524000035054