We have a network of more than 70 libraries around the country – that means a network as diverse as are the regions of Ethiopia.

ER’s work in Bahir Dar began in 2011, when it established a library at the Yekatit 23 Primary School, funded by a generous gift from the Angelidis family in Seattle. Bahir Dar is the capital of the Amhara Region. It is situated on the southern banks of Ethiopia’s largest lake, Lake T’ana, which is also the headwaters of the Blue Nile. It’s one of Ethiopia’s prime tourist stops.

This school library was originally one of 11 ‘TLMP’ projects. The Textbook Learning Materials Project (TLMP) was a collaboration between the Ministry of Education (MOE) and USAID to improve curriculum in government schools. ER was brought in to open school libraries in the project’s model schools, one for each region and federal city. Yekatit 23 was the model school for the Amhara region.

During the 2016-2017 program year, ER plans to expand its work in Bahir Dar. We will start with an expansion of the library at Yekatit 23. If we find the funding, we will establish a few more model libraries in town. In addition, we hope to launch a Mobile Support program for existing reading spaces, based on a model currently being piloted in Addis Ababa.

Library programs work best when they are integrated with other strong services. Where possible we organize ER libraries into clusters for mutual support and professional dialogue. Bahir Dar will be a center of excellence with the establishment of a cluster of four ER libraries and the Mobile Support project.

Please help us support literacy services in Bahir Dar.

This summer we are celebrating Ethiopia Reads’ history and the 10 year anniversary of the Hawassa Reading Center.