The school was initially founded by a husband and wife team of school teachers Mengesha and Freiwhot Gugsa, who through their church group, raised enough money to rent a shed and employ a couple of teachers to provide schooling to the children of very poor families who, in one way or another, were victims of HIV/AIDS.
This small community school started with 38 children who were in poor health with infections and malnutrition. It immediately became apparent that medical aid would be a critical need of the fledgling school and improved health was the greatest priority to enable these children to learn and attend school.
Carolyn Roesler, a medical doctor,
who at the time was volunteering at an
orphanage in Addis Ababa, was introduced
to Mengesha and
Freiwhot Gugsa. As
soon as Carolyn saw the conditions and
the work that needed to be done, she put all her energy into RAEY. Since this humble beginning a lot has been achieved.
RAEY was created as a licensed charity in Ethiopia in 2007 and at that time was fully accredited to teach and support these children and their families.
The RAEY school has a full complement of staff, all
Ethiopian from all walks of life:
The RAEY Board is made up of industry and community leaders on the basis of a 3-year renewable term.
The RAEY Board works closely with the Federal Charities and Societies Agency which is responsible for ensuring the RAEY school adheres to the NOT FOR PROFIT (NGO) legislation. There is a strict adherence to the dictates of the Agency. Both the Board and the school in general are closely monitored through audits, official interviews and impromptu visits.
The RAEY school operates under the auspices of the Ethiopia Government. It maintains its charity status under the authority of the following government departments, all who conduct regular audits of the school to ensure the school is delivering on our stated purpose.
We appreciate your interest in RAEY and are glad you want to stay up to date.
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