Author: Simon Knee

From Rural Hardship to Healing Lives

BEWUNETU ALEM

I am writing this as a thank you to everyone who is involved with the Susan Aitchison scholarship fund.

I was born in a rural village called Kedelit in Geter Media Kebele. I began my education with determination but with very limited resources. When I reached secondary school, I had a 2 1/2 hour walk each way. In addition to the travelling, there was little money to support me and I suffered from many health problems including debilitating headaches which continued into my first year at University.

After completing Preparatory school in Lalibela, I was accepted to Salale University to study BSc nursing. University life brought new pressures…….academic intensity, financial strain and ongoing health concerns. To survive, I did tutorial work with students and daily labour jobs when available.

Everything changed when I was accepted into the Susan Aitchison scholarship fund. For 4 years I received continuous financial support which allowed me to concentrate on my studies.

I completed my university studies with —— CGPA of 3.96

Highest performing student at Salale university

Awarded a gold medal in BSc Nursing

Today I work as a professional nurse at Lalibela Health Centre, serving the same community where my journey first felt uncertain.

I am now married and am the proud father of a beautiful daughter.

The money from the scholarship fund changed my life forever. In addition to working in the community, I will work in any way I can with the scholarship fund committee to support the students who are now receiving help.

Download Bewunetu Story pdf

Fund Report 2025

The scholarship fund has now being running for 16 years. We started in September 2009 supporting 10 young people. At this point in time, 125 young people have received support from the fund. It is very rewarding for me to see so many of these youngsters now educated, in employment, married and with their own young children who will certainly access and value the importance of education.

In September 2024 we were supporting 48 students. In 2025, 5 have graduated from University, 2 have graduated from College and one student has decided to work rather than attend college. This meant we started in September 2025 with 40 students. We have accepted 2 new students so are now supporting 42 during this academic year……

8 are in University
10 are at College
24 are in the school system

In 2024/25 we have payed out 1,287,046 Birr which is the equivalent of approximately £9,000. The devaluation of the Ethiopian currency makes the exchange rate for the pound very good. It has therefore been decided to increase the monthly student payments from 2,000 birr to 2,500 birr. (still approximately £18 ).

As always, my grateful thanks to the teams of people who give their time and their expertise to keep the fund operating. Thanks to June, Margaret, Joan and Sandra who keep everything running in Scotland, Thanks to Tefera, Teshale and Habtamu who keep everything running in Ethiopia. Thanks to Simon, in London who donates his time and computing skills to keep the website updated. Thanks to Isobel for verifying our annual accounts.

A special thank you to Getnet Adane. He has been supported by the fund and now has a masters degree in software engineering. He has always been a big support to Teshale in the management of the programme. This year he has agreed to work with me on the annual report and will gradually take on more responsibility.

Many thanks for all your support to the fund. The number of young people we can support is directly related to the money in the bank. A special thank you to those who have set up a standing order as that gives us the confidence of monthly money coming in. The website also gives you a direct link into ‘Just Giving’.

A HUGE thank you to my friend, Doris Hogan, who has supported the fund since we started Iin 2009. In June, in the south of France, she ran an Ethiopian day followed by an auction of items donated by her artistic friends. An amazing 2385 Euros went into the fund.

Susan

You can download the full SASF Fund Report 2025 as a PDF for printing or offline viewing.

If you are able to help us then please use our Just Giving fund raising account to contribute.

Fund Report 2024

Unfortunately, there is still unrest in the Amhara Region which makes the support we give to the students even more important. I hoped to attend the student’s meeting in September but it was still impossible for me to attend. Teshale organised and conducted the meeting himself. I am delighted that 40 of our students managed to attend.

We started in September 2023 supporting 51 students. Abbey Desale made the decision to leave the education system and is no longer being supported by the fund. Three of our students graduated from University. We therefore had 47 continuing students. It was agreed to accept one new student into the fund. This means we started in September 2024 supporting 48 students. 11 students are in University, 12 at College and 25 are in the school system.

The Ethiopian Government made the decision to devalue the Ethiopian Birr. Last year the exchange rate was 63.34 Birr to the pound. At the moment, the exchange rate is 152 birr to the pound. Because of this, we have increased the student monthly payments from 1,100 Birr to 2,000 Birr. This is still the equivalent of approximately £18 per month. I am aware it is little but it is enough to enable the students to remain in the education system. Last year 769,040 birr was distributed which is approximately £12,000.

The fund could not operate without the team of people who give their time to ensure the smooth operation. Many thanks to June, Margaret and Joan who keep everything running in Scotland and to Tefera , Habtamu and Teshale who look after everything in Ethiopia. Welcome to Sandra who has agreed to join the Scottish committee thus giving a more youthful input to the decisions made. Thanks to Getnet for the support he gives to the Ethiopian committee. Thanks also to Simon, in London, who donates his time and his computing skills to keep the website updated. Thanks to Isobel for verifying our annual accounts.

Many thanks for all the support you give to the fund. The number of young people we can support is directly related to the money we have in the bank.

Susan

You can download the full SASF Fund Report 2024 as a PDF for printing or offline viewing.

If you are able to help us then please use our Just Giving fund raising account to contribute.

Fund Report 2023

Image: September 2023 student meeting with Teshale, Fund Manager

A peace treaty was signed at the end of 2022 and everything started to return to normal.  Unfortunately a new conflict started in July 2023 between the government militia and the Amhara regional militia. Lalibela has been one of the main conflict areas. I arrived in Ethiopia in the middle of August with the aim to be in Lalibela for the meeting with the students. The war has made it impossible for me to go to Lalibela and at the time of writing, mid November, I am still in Addis Ababa.

Teshale organised and conducted the meeting himself. I am delighted that 37 of our students managed to attend.

We started in September 2022 supporting 48 students.

Bayush Achenef decided to leave school and start working. Biruk Behayilu took the opportunity to move to Poland. Both are no longer supported.

Four of our students graduated from University.

We therefore have 42 continuing students. 9 new students have been accepted into the fund. This means we started in September 2023 supporting 51 students.

13 students are in University, 10 at College and 28 are in the school system.

Many congratulations to Zuriash Abebe who was the top student in Lalibela in her grade 12 national exam and is now studying Dentistry at Addis Ababa University.

Between September 2009 and August 2023, the fund has supported 122 students for a total of 431 years of support. 74 students have completed their studies, 55 with University degrees and 11 with College diplomas.

All this is only possible because of the support everyone generously gives. I am aware of the restrictions COVID made to fund raising activities and am delighted that these are taking place again. A particular thank you to all those who donate monthly via a standing order.

Last year 765,170 birr was distributed which is approximately £12,000.

The fund could not operate without the team of people who give their time to ensure the smooth operation. Many thanks to June, Margaret and Joan who keep everything running in Scotland and to Tefera , Habtamu and Teshale who look after everything in Ethiopia. Thanks to Getnet for the support he gives to the Ethiopian committee. Thanks also to Simon, in London, who donates his time and his computing skills to keep the website updated. Thanks to Isobel for verifying our annual accounts.

Susan

You can download the full SASF Fund Report 2023 as a PDF for printing or offline viewing

If you are able to help us then please use our Just Giving fund raising account to contribute.

Fund Report 2022

Many tell me that they love all the pictures and have missed them in the reports during the troubles.

As you will see, we managed to have the meeting with the students in September 2022 and I am happy to be able to give you all the up to date photographs.

Our software engineering student, Getnet Adane, came to Lalibela for the meeting and, with the hire of a generator, set up a zoom link. I was able to speak to the students while sitting in comfort in Scotland. Many thanks Getnet for all your hard work and expertise.

Since the meeting, a peace treaty has been signed. The electricity supply has recently been returned to Lalibela which means water can now be pumped into the town. Everything is looking very positive.

The disruption from COVID restrictions, followed by the war, has meant disruption to the education system. The timings of student promotion to the next grade at school and to graduations have been variable for the last 3 years. I am pleased to report that the fund has been operational throughout all the disruption. This is thanks to the efforts of the Lalibelan committee and, in particular, to Teshale, the fund manager.

When I reported in April 2022, we were supporting 47 students. Since then, 11 students have graduated from University and College and are now out of the programme. Unfortunately, one young student, Temesgen Destaw, did not take the opportunity offered and left the programme. We accepted 13 new students into the programme in September and are now supporting 48 young people.
10 are at University, 7 at College and 31 are in the school system.

We distributed 685,012 Birr (Approximately £11,500) in the 2021/2022 academic year. The exchange rate has averaged about 60 Birr to £1. Because of this inflation, we increased the student monthly payments to 1,100 Birr as from September. (Approximately £18).

A little money goes a long way in Ethiopia. We can only operate the fund because of your support. Many thanks for keeping thinking about us. All our young people send their thanks for the opportunity you are giving them.

The fund could not operate without the team of people who give their time to ensure the smooth operation. Many thanks to June, Margaret and Joan who keep everything running in Scotland and to Tefera , Habtamu and Teshale who look after everything in Ethiopia. Thanks also to Simon, in London, who donates his time and his computing skills to keep the website updated. Thanks to Maureen for verifying our annual accounts.

Susan

You can download the full SASF Fund Report 2022 as a PDF for printing or offline viewing

If you are able to help us then please use our Just Giving fund raising account to contribute.

Our 2022 Graduates

Congratulations to the class of 2022

Birhan Zewdu BSc Civil Engineering
Hanan Bedru BSc Textile Engineering
Dinku Ayenew BSc Agriculture
Getahun Fentaw BSc Electrical and Computer Engineering
Tibebu Amha BSc Civil Engineering
Seble Agaze BA Management
Mulugeta Seteye BSc Electrical Engineering
Nuruhusien Umer BSc Mechatronics Engineering
Demeke Tesfaw BScMechatronics Engineering
Dr. Birhan Mesele Medicine
Tangut Agazh Diploma 4 Pharmacy

Continuing Undergraduates 2022

Tilaye Biset He is in his 6th. year studying Veterinary Medicine. Because of the war, he has had to move from Mekele to Gondar University. He will graduate in 2023.
Getnet Adane He is studying his masters in Software Engineering Hopes to graduate in 2023
Tadiso Fentaw 4th. year Bahirdar University studying Economics
Aweke Addise He is in 1st. year at Woldia University studying Natural Science
Tseganew Telake He is in 1st. year at Woldia University studying Economics
Tewodrose Mogoes He is in 1st. year of Social Science programme at Woldia University
Hailu Wendimnew He is in 2nd. year at Gondar University studying Law
Getachew Zemene 5th. year at Arba Minch University studying Water Supply Environmental Engineering

Mekides Muluye

2022 Age 16

Mekdes lives with her family in Shimsha, 23 Km. from Lalibela. She is expected to work on the farm and help her mother in the kitchen.

A year ago, she had a kidney removed and was advised not to do heavy work but her parents still expected her to work hard.

Our support means that she can concentrate on her education. She is in grade 10.

Selamawit Mareg

2022 Age 15

She was born out of wedlock and neither parent wanted her. When she was 8 years old, her mother forced her to work as a waitress and kept all the money.

Our support is letting her start an independent life.

She assures us that by investing in her we are investing in 100 girls as, in the future, she plans an organisation to help others in the same position! She has reached grade 8 by studying at night school.

Fund Report 2021

March 2021 – April 2022

It has been another bad year for Lalibela. In addition to the COVID virus, the civil war between the government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) spilled into Amhara region in the summer of 2021. The TPLF took control of, and completely closed down, Lalibela in early August. Most of the young men left Lalibela at that time to avoid being forcibly conscripted to the TPLF or shot.

The UK committee agreed that the monthly payments to the students should continue while they were not in the education system as there was no chance of any employment and they needed this money to survive. Teshale was amazing in keeping track of where everyone was and ensuring that their money reached them.

The government army regained control at the end of December and the town is gradually getting back to normal. Most schools reopened in early February with some a bit later because of the damage that had been done. The students at College and University were in towns outside Lalibela and most of their studies were not affected by the war.

I am delighted that 5 of our students graduated between July 2021 and January 2022. Mengistu has always been a favourite of mine as he was a student in the very first class at the school in Erfa when I went there in 2007.

Many of you tell me that you love all the photographs. For the first time since the fund started in 2009, we were unable to hold the September meeting as the town was occupied by the TPLF. We always hold the meeting in September as it is Ethiopian New Year and most students are back with their families for the holiday. I therefore apologise for the lack of photographs and hope that all will be back to normal this September.

In the 12 months between 1 September 2020 and 31 August 2021, we distributed 564,315.00 Ethiopian Birr (approximately £10, 200).

The exchange rate is now up to 64 Birr per UK pound so a little money goes a very long way.  Because of inflation, it was agreed to increase the monthly payments from 800 to 1,000 birr as from September 2021 (equivalent to approx.. £16).

The Bude Methodist Church continues to support our students studying in the medical field.

Thanks are due to all the people who give their time and expertise to ensure the smooth running of the programme.

Thanks to Tefera, Habtamu and Teshale from the Lalibelan committee.

Morag resigned from the Scottish committee and we thank her for all the help she has given. We welcome Joan Lees to the committee and look forward to working with her.

Thanks to June, Margaret, Morag and Joan from the Scottish committee.

Thanks to Simon for his computer expertise and for keeping the website updated.

Thanks to Maureen for her expertise in auditing the accounts.

Susan.

You can download the full SASF Fund Report 2020-21 as a PDF for printing or offline viewing

If you are able to help us then please use our Just Giving fund raising account to contribute.