The African Children’s Educational Trust

Registered Charity 1066869

A-CET receives prizes for its website and annual reports and the best way to receive up-to-date information and news is to log-on to www.a-cet.org.

I would, however, like to share something which will not be mentioned on A-CET’s website because it is personal to me.

On my first visit to Ethiopia I asked Bisrat Mesfin, an A-CET trustee and manager of A-CET’s Ethiopian partner, Ethiopian Youth Educational Support, what happens to young people without a family or home who live by their wits on the street. Having once been a ‘street boy’ Bisrat knew these young people. He called up a group to meet me and we took them to breakfast which was in itself an experience. Through Bisrat the lads told me a bit about themselves and I gave each a T-shirt I had brought with me.

The following year, I met the lads again and they showed me a shack where they spent the night. They survive by washing and minding cars and doing any other odd jobs which come their way.

On my third visit they were no longer boys but young men and we had a warm re-union. This time Bisrat and I took them to a restaurant for supper. The restaurant treated them with great courtesy. Initially they were a bit shy but their reserve melted as they tucked into pizza or injera. When we parted, Bisrat’s final admonishment is invariably “Remain honest, stay clean and don’t allow yourself to be exploited.”

If EYES is hosting an event to celebrate Christmas or Easter for students without families, Bisrat makes sure that the lads are included. Imagine my pleasure when I was told that they now call themselves “Angela’s boys.” Bisrat is always resolute that visitors should not offer hand-outs. This sets up a false relationship which encourages youngsters to view visitors as easy prey. I felt that my relationship had moved beyond this point and Bisrat agreed so at Christmas I sent them a selection of Marks and Spencer scarves. I have photos of the boys proudly wearing them at the formal opening of Saint Michael’s Abinet Residential Church School by HH Paulos V, Patriarch of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church on 19 June 2010. I sent some of the lads wearing the scarves to the general manager of my local Marks and Spencer and I was sad to receive no response.