The Aysanew Kassa Trust
Improving Education in Azezo, Ethiopia
Registered Charity Number: 1090931

Saint Raphel's school for blind & partially-sighted children

Built in 2002, the boarding school is run by the Daughters of Saint Anna and is one of the very few institutions caring for blind children in the Gondar region, providing a home to 73 blind or partially-sighted children. Grades 1 to 4 attend lessons there with the higher years integrated into the mainstream school system, allowing them to feel part of the wider society and familiarising the community with working with blind people.

As the overcrowded local government schools can rarely meet the needs of blind children without help, the Aysanew Kassa Trust funds dedicated support workers for these children. It also directly supports the centre itself by giving financial assistance to help in its running and paying for the expansion of the school's facilities. This has included, in recent years, the conversion of shipping containers into study and computer rooms. The majority of the children at St Raphel's make it to university, and the Aysanew Kassa Trust supports them throughout their higher education.

For the last three years, we have been grateful to the Gondar (Ethiopia) Eye Surgery (GEES) for providing us with the funds required to purchase laptops for the school and run a series of computer classes for the blind children.

If you are stuck for ideas for presents for your loved ones, perhaps you might like to consider buying some specialist equipment for the blind children at the school. If so, please get in touch with us and we will send you one of our picture cards to give to the recipient, while ensuring that your gift brings joy to those at St Raphel's.

These children are conquering their disability through knowledge. They are regularly at the top of their class and many have gone on to study at university. Despite their disability they have much to offer the country and with your help their contribution can be even greater in the future.