Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Ethiopia Reads launches "Basket of Books" Program


Basket of Books Program

As a grass-roots organization we have been overwhelmed with the numbers of people who have reached out to us asking “How can I help?”

The Basket of Books program is an initiative launched by Ethiopia Reads that allows those of us who aren’t able to plant an entire library or publish a book share the joy of reading and make a lasting impact.

You can touch the lives of children who rarely or never get to hold books.

What is the Basket of Books Program?
A simple two-step program! 1) You donate $200 to sponsor a Basket of Books. Each book will have a nameplate placed on the inside cover recognizing the basket’s sponsor: your organization, family, or perhaps a reader or supporter of the world’s children that you want to honor with a gift. 2) Ethiopia Reads will place the basket with a worthy organization that serves children in Ethiopia. (If you like, we will work with you on placing a basket with an organization you might already have a relationship with.)

Each basket of books will contain an assortment of books like those shown in the pictures above – to include Early Readers, picture books, middle grade novels and local language books.

For more information regarding the Basket of Books program, please contact Catie Dupont.
Catie@EthiopiaReads.org
For more information about Ethiopia Reads – please visit http://www.ethiopiareads.org/.

Thursday, February 21, 2008

Ongoing Campaign for Ethiopia Reads - Take One Book! Will You?


Take One Book Literacy Campaign for Ethiopia

One book can change a life. That is what Ethiopia Reads founder Yohannes Gebregiorgis discovered at 19 years of age when he held his first book. Now you have the opportunity to change a life through Ethiopia Reads’ “TAKE ONE BOOK” campaign. In recognition of the Millenium celebration in Ethiopia this year we are committed to donating at least 2,000 books to children in Ethiopia.

Ethiopia Reads, founded in 2003, works to improve literacy and create a culture of reading in Ethiopia. We do this by planting libraries and publishing books in local languages as well as offering continuing education programs to help educators in Ethiopia nurture a love of reading.

Since Ethiopia Reads opened Ethiopia’s first free children’s library in 2003, thousands of children have experienced the joy of reading. The library received 60,000 visits to the library in 2006. Ethiopia Reads sees first hand the difference that one library, ONE BOOK, and one story can make in the life of a child.

If you or someone you know is traveling to Ethiopia, Ethiopia Reads challenges you to TAKE ONE BOOK with you, because we believe that education is hope and books can change lives. Books can be dropped off at the Shola Children’s Library in Addis Ababa. Shola is located in Beklo-Bet, behind the Dashen Bank off of Debre Zeit road.

If you are not traveling, but want to make a difference in Ethiopia, we are collecting books in Washington, DC and Kansas to send over with other travellers.

For more information on the TAKE ONE BOOK campaign, please contact Catie Dupont at catie@ethiopiareads.org or Katie Douglas at katie@ethiopiareads.org.

WILL YOU TAKE ONE BOOK?


Suggested book list:

1. Any type of non-fiction books are appreciated.

2. Suggested fiction titles:

• Baby Baboon
• Crafty Chameleon
• Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People’s Ears, by Verna Aardema
• Bringing the Rain to Kaputi Plain
• Anansi Does the Impossible
• Kaldi and the Dancing Goats, the story of Ethiopian Coffee
• Anansi and the Talking Melon
• Anansi the Spider
• Babu’s Song
• Fatuma’s New Cloth
• My Rows and Piles of Coins
• Once Upon a Time
• What’s Cooking Jamela
• The Day Gogo Went to Vote
• Silly Mammo
• Aida
• Kings and Queens of West Africa
• Sundiata: The Lion King
• Seven Spools of Thread
• Journey to Jo’Burg
• Saba: Under the Hyena’s Foot
• Storytellers’ Beads
• Moonlight Bride
• The Dark Child: The Autobiography of an African Child
• The Other Side of Truth
• Out of Bounds: Seven Stories of Conflict and Hope
• Weep not Child
• Song of Lawino, Song of Ocol
• Purple Hibiscus
• So Long a Letter
• Nervous Conditions
• No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency
• The Magic Gourd
• Bintou’s Braids
• My Great Grandmother’s Gourd
• Tutankhamen’s Gift
• No Turning Back
• Hatshepsut: His Majesty Herself
• Year of No Rain
• Many Stones
• The Ugly Goddess
• Beduin’s Gazelle
• Mother to Mother
• Midaq Alley
• Dreams of Trespass

*go to www.janekurtz.com for more children’s books related to life in Africa

Jane Kurtz to Speak at Highland Origin Cafe in Silver Spring, Maryland!

Meet children’s author Jane Kurtz!
Support Ethiopia Reads!

Come hear Jane tell her story of growing up in Ethiopia, how it influenced her writing and the development of the NGO Ethiopia Reads. Jane’s books -- Only A Pigeon, the Lion’s Tail (Amharic/English version) and Saba will be available for purchase. Dual language Amharic/English books -- The Beekeeper of Lalibela, Fafi’s Sheep and Silly Mammo will also be available.

Sunday, March 2, 2008 ~~ 1:30 – 4:00 pm
Highland Origin Cafe
8200 Fenton Street
Silver Spring, Maryland
For additional information, please contact Catie@EthiopiaReads.org

The kitchen at Highland Origin Café will be open for your convenience.

Jane Kurtz to speak on behalf of Ethiopia Reads at Sidamo Cafe in Washington, DC



Meet children’s author Jane Kurtz
and support Ethiopia Reads

Come hear Jane tell her story of growing up in Ethiopia, how it influenced her writing and the development of the NGO Ethiopia Reads. Jane’s books -- Only A Pigeon, the Lion’s Tail (Amharic/English version) and Saba will be available for purchase. Dual language Amharic/English books -- The Beekeeper of Lalibela, Fafi’s Sheep and Silly Mammo will also be available.

Saturday, March 1, 2008 ~~ 6:00 – 8:00 pm
Sidamo Coffee and Tea
417 H Street NE
Washington, DC 20002

The kitchen at Sidamo will be open for your convenience.

Jane Kurtz to Speak at Busboys and Poets in Arlington, Virginia


Meet children’s author Jane Kurtz!
Support Ethiopia Reads!

Come hear Jane tell her story of growing up in Ethiopia, how it influenced her writing and the development of the NGO Ethiopia Reads.


Monday, March 3, 2008 ~~ 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
~~ Busboys and Poets ~~ 4251 South Campbell Ave ~~ Arlington

Come hear Jane tell her story of growing up in Ethiopia, how it influenced her writing and how Ethiopia Reads has developed and she will share the
dreams for Ethiopia Reads’ future.
There will be a slide show presentation.
Light refreshments will be served.
Busboys and Poets have a supply of Jane’s books available for your convenience.

For additional information, please contact Catie@EthiopiaReads.org

Friday, February 15, 2008

Come meet Jane Kurtz and learn more about Ethiopia Reads!

Come meet Author Jane Kurtz!
Come learn about Ethiopia Reads!

Saturday, March 1, 2008 ~~ 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
~~ Sidamo Coffee and Tea ~~ 417 H Street NE ~~Washington, DC 20002~~

Come hear Jane tell her story of growing up in Ethiopia, how it influenced her writing and the development of the NGO Ethiopia Reads.
There will be a slide show presentation.
Jane’s books Only A Pigeon, the Lion’s Tail (Amharic/English version) and Saba will be available for purchase.
Dual language Amharic/English books ~ The Beekeeper of Lalibela, Fafi’s Sheep and Silly Mammo will be available.
The kitchen at Sidamo will be open for your convenience.

Sunday, March 2, 2008 ~~ 1:30 – 4:00 p.m.
~~Highland Origin Café ~~ 8200 Fenton Street ~~Silver Spring, Maryland ~~
There will be a slide show and informative session regarding Jane Kurtz and Ethiopia Reads. Additionally, Tsilat Petros will be joining us and sharing her enthusiasm and dreams for Ethiopia and the Ethiopia Reads project. Come hear her story!
The kitchen at Highland Origin Café will be open for your convenience.

Sunday afternoon tune in as Jane Kurtz is interviewed on AM 1390 Zethiopia Radio from 5:00-6:00 p.m.
Jane will be sharing with Dereje Desta the latest news from Ethiopia Reads and will introduce the audience and Ethiopia Reads’ supporters to Tsilat Petros – who will be traveling to Ethiopia to work for Ethiopia Reads!

Monday, March 3, 2008 ~~ 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
~~ Busboys and Poets ~~ 4251 South Campbell Ave ~~ Arlington, VA 22206 ~~

Come hear Jane tell her story of growing up in Ethiopia, how it influenced her writing and how Ethiopia Reads has developed and she will share the
hope and dreams for Ethiopia Reads’ future.
There will be a slide show presentation.
Light refreshments will be served.
Busboys and Poets have a supply of Jane’s books available for your convenience.

For further information, please contact Catie Dupont.
Catie@EthiopiaReads.org or call 571-243-1411.
An RSVP to any of these events is not necessary, but would be appreciated.
For specific information regarding Ethiopia Reads, please visit www.ethiopiareads.org.