Agriculture plays an important role in the life and livelihood of most Ethiopians, where about 12 million smallholder farming households account for an estimated 95% of agricultural production and 85% of employment.  This makes it even more impressive that Workineh Genetu, Project Ethiopia’s leader of its Farmers’ Association program, has been named Ethiopia’s Farmer of the Year four separate times.

School is just around the corner for students in Ethiopia! As families prepare for the return to school (or may have already started) in the U.S., we would like to share the story of one family in Ethiopia who is doing the same and how a typical school day looks for the children.

Meet Shega. Shega was born in the community of East Zelessa in the Dangla countryside. After completing the highest level – 6th grade – at the community primary school, Shega’s parents sent her to live with her elder sister in Wollega (located in southwest Ethiopia) to continue her education. With the small salary she earned working in a hotel, Shega’s sister could support both of them. Soon after she arrived, however, her sister became ill. For the next several months, Shega delayed her education and focused on caring for her sister.

Assaye and Amarech live in the Dengeshta community and have been married for 35 years, but their families have lived only 2 km from one another all their lives. When they were first married, Assaye and Amarech lived with Assaye’s family. After four years, the couple received one hectare farmland (approximately 2.5 acres) from Assaye’s parents who also built them a tikul (the traditional grass roofed home in the countryside) to start their own family.