THE JIMMA TOILET PROJECT
New Toilets built by Mississauga University Women's Club and friends (2010)
CFUW Mississauga’s 2010 outreach activity in Ethiopia has been a resounding success. With financial support from other clubs, friends and our own members, we raised funds to build a school toilet facility for Gingo School, a co-ed government institution for 1,500 students. It’s located in Jimma, home to some 250,000 people in a poor coffee-growing region of southwest Ethiopia. Approximately a quarter of the student body is female, and the toilets built by CFUW have been allocated for girls in grades five to eight.
Shirley Lewis, a former member of our club, noted the difficulty for girls to complete their education. When girls reached the age of menstruation, they often missed school or dropped out entirely because of the woeful toilet facilities.
Shirley Lewis, a former member of our club, noted the difficulty for girls to complete their education. When girls reached the age of menstruation, they often missed school or dropped out entirely because of the woeful toilet facilities.
This structure, completed in 2010, has 10 private cubicles – an unheard of luxury.
A plaque on the exterior wall of the toilet facility will read, “Donated by Friends and Members of the Canadian Federation of University Women 2010.” This plaque was presented to Shirley Lewis at the December CFUW Mississauga meeting.
Shirley will be leaving for Ethopia on January 4. She has promised to test the facilities and will keep us posted!
A plaque on the exterior wall of the toilet facility will read, “Donated by Friends and Members of the Canadian Federation of University Women 2010.” This plaque was presented to Shirley Lewis at the December CFUW Mississauga meeting.
Shirley will be leaving for Ethopia on January 4. She has promised to test the facilities and will keep us posted!
CFUW Jimma Project dedicated in Ethiopia
Shirley Lewis, chair of the Canadian Charity “Cheerfund”, and Angela,(who organized and supervised the building of the “10 hole toilet to keep girls in school”) arrived in Jimma, Ethiopia on Tuesday, Feb 7th carrying the blue on white plaque decorated with the CFUW logo and the statement “Donated by Friends and Members of the Canadian Federation of University Women, 2009”. Wednesday morning was a busy day for Shirley as Tadesse, principal of Gingo School arrived shortly after the 7:00 am breakfast and escorted her to the school where kids were posted all along the path, waiting for them. . Many kisses, many greetings, many hugs… then the formal ceremonies began, first of which was the dedication the toilets., Many pictures were taken of the plaque, school staff and the girls standing in front of the toilet doors with beautiful smiles. The school and community are very proud of the Jimma Project.
June 2012 Update
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