REAL News
Resources for the Enrichment of African Lives
1400 E 24th Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55404
Letter from Tsehai Wodajo, Executive
Director
Heartfelt Greetings!! As usual, I am writing this letter
to give you a REAL girls/young women education
sponsorship update and also to once again ask you
kindly and with humility to continue standing with us
to Educate a Girl—Transform a Nation. With your
support, this transformation has begun with 120
Ethiopian girls/young women who are being
empowered to realize their dreams and transform
their lives.
We are getting good reports as a result of the
hard work and dedication of the girls and also of
those who work with them. The objectives we set for
the program are being fulfilled as a result of all the
mentors and administrators attending the two day
workshop I conducted when I was there on my last
visit in November. It is truly inspiring to read the
reports on how the girls/young women are doing, not
only in their education, but also in building a strong
sisterhood and supporting each other to overcome
hardships that work against them. They work hard to
break the cycle of poverty, deal with cultural attitudes
that diminish their self-esteem, and while working to
give back to their communities. Please check our
website, real-africa.org, soon under reconstruction, for
updates.
I also would like to let you know that REAL has
some leadership changes. I have now taken the role
of executive director. Our president is now Cheryl
Kyle. Ann Jensen has the responsibility of
sponsorship coordinator. We are currently all
volunteers, though we would welcome grant or other
money to have a part-time staff person. With some
designated grant money, we are planning to hire a
part-time young women’s leadership development
program coordinator in July. She will work with East
African young women here around cultural identity
and leadership development, and the young women
in this program will be connected with our sponsored
girls in Ethiopia.
We are also looking at other organizations with
whom to partner, in addition to our wonderful church
partnerships with Nokomis Heights Lutheran Church,
Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd, and Zion
Lutheran in Thief River Falls.
We are excited about the future of REAL. Thank
you for your partnership with us in building a future
for girls/young women, their families, and their
July 2009
communities. We hope that you are able to continue
your sponsorship for the 2009-2010 school year.
Friends of REAL Work with REAL Girls/Young
Women
Kathleen Moore left for Ethiopia on June 3. She was a
Peace Corps teacher in Ethiopia at the same time as
Sponsorship Coordinator, Ann Jensen. Kathleen plans
to spend a year in Ethiopia, and while there will work
with our girls to improve their English writing and
speaking skills. Through her we will be able to receive
regular updates about the girls and their progress, as
she spends time in several of our sites.
This spring, 2 other women, Terese Pritschet and
Lyn Mitchell spent several days at our Hosanna,
Kotobe, and Burayu Kata sites. Terese shared stories
from her time with our girls at our Spring Event on
May 16.
We hope that these women are only the first of
future volunteers! If you are interested in traveling to
Ethiopia and volunteering (for a few days or longer)
while you are there, please contact Tsehai Wodajo,
Executive Director of REAL.
REAL Receives Computer and Projection
Equipment
Through an estate gifts grant, Nokomis Heights
Lutheran Church has provided REAL with a computer,
printer, and projection equipment to share the story of
REAL’s girls/young women with other congregations
and organizations. Thank you, Nokomis Heights!
REAL Dates for Your Calendar
October 3, 2009
Sponsor Acknowledgement Gathering
May 15, 2010
Annual Celebration and Fundraiser
Spring Event Provides Critical Support
Our May 16 Celebration and Fundraiser was another
success, thanks to all of our sponsors and supporters,
to those who donated items and services to our silent
auction, and to Augsburg College, who donated their
space and support staff. The event raised over $7500
for the coming year’s program. This money will be
used for travel to Ethiopia and other administrative
costs and to cover sponsorship program costs not
covered through committed sponsorship dollars. For
example, for the past school year, we were short 2 If you know of an organization for whom we could do
mentor sponsorships, which were each $1440. (The a presentation, please let us know! Also, a great way to
cost of a mentor sponsorship has needed to be spread the word about REAL would be for you to have
increased to $120 per month. Do you know of a a gathering at your home of friends and family with
group who could take that on this year?) Thank you whom we could share information and photos. We
to everyone who contributed to the success of this hope you will consider this way to help out REAL.
year’s event!! The cost for sponsoring a girl throughout a school
year continues to be $360. Sponsorship for a mentor is
REAL Sponsorship Update now $1400.
REAL is currently sponsoring 120 girls and 8
mentors in eight different locations in Ethiopia. Meet the REAL Board
The board of directors consist of the following
First School Year of individuals.
Site Sponsorship • Tsehai Wodajo, Executive Director
Nedjo 2004-05 • Cheryl Kyle, Chair
Bodji 2005-06 • Randy Hoversten, Treasurer
Burayu Kata 2006-07 • Carla Sykora, Secretary
Nekemte 2006-07 • Ann Jensen, Sponsorship Coordinator
Hosanna 2007-08 • Christine Hurney
Gimbi 2007-08 • Erik Kaaya
Ayira/Gulisso 2007-08 The board welcomes your involvement in this
Kotobe 2008-09 program. For volunteer opportunities, please contact
REAL at www.real-africa.org, president@real-
Most of the girls currently supported by REAL africa.org, or Tsehai Wodajo at 612.724.2096.
are in the 7th or 8th grade (56 girls). In addition, there
are 10 girls currently on a vocational track of study,
while 8 are on college track. All of the REAL girls
send their thanks for the support of their sponsors.
Without this support, many of these girls would not
be able to continue their education.
While most of our sponsors live in Minnesota, 8
live in other states and 1 lives in Sweden. We
currently have 109 individual or household sponsors,
4 congregational sponsors, and 7 group sponsors,
which include book clubs, bible study/circles,
extended family groups, or professional groups.

Help REAL Sponsorship Grow

Resources for the Enrichment of African Lives

1400 E 24th Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55404 http://resourcesforenrichingafricanlives.blogspot.com