Segenat Foundation

Through the project, the students learned about the culture and customs of Ethiopia and identified Ethiopia on a map. Third grade students used their math skills to count each and every pencil.  

Mesfin Tegenu hand-carried the donation to Finote Selam, where he joined Abiyu Berlie, currently living in New Jersey.   Ato Abiyu and Ato Mesfin delivered the pencils to Ato Abiyu’s former school, the Finote Selam Elementary School, and distributed them to the children. 

Ato Abiyu met with Keith Keyser, a current Peace Corps Volunteer, and Yohannes Gebregeorgis, Tigray Library and Literacy Development Project, to lay out plans to establish the Finote Selam Children and Youth Library in Finote Selam.  This project is being funded by private donations and a Peace Corps Partnership Grant.

As can be seen from the photos, the students in Finote Selam were quite excited to receive the pencils and the gifts sent by Hillendale Elementary “From the Heart.” 

1,430 pencils were collected by students at Hillendale Elementary School in Chads Ford, PA for students at the Finote Selam Elementary School

Mesfin Tegenu and students with their gifts of pencils from Hillendale Elementary School.

Mesfin Tegenu distributes pencils to the students at Finote Selam Elementary School.

Yohannes Gebregeorgis, Abiyu Berlie, and Keith Keyser meet in Finote Selam to discuss the Finote Selam Children and Youth Library.

Ato Abiyu at his former elementary school with current students.

Students outside of the Finote Selam Elementary School waiting for class to begin.

A young student by a wall mural of a map of the world.