CELEBRATING NAZARETH SCHOOL; 60 YEARS OF COMMITMENT TO GIRLS’ EDUCATION

AEND ETHIOPIA;- In commemoration of its 60th anniversary, Nazareth School, an all-girls’ school in Addis Ababa, is holding a fund-raising Gala Dinner on January 3, 2015 at the Sheraton Addis Hotel to raise funds for the school’s improvement projects. The event is being sponsored by Enat Bank and EBS TV as Platinum sponsors, and is organized by an ad hoc committee comprised of alumni, parents and the school administration. Nazareth School is a Catholic Mission School established by The Daughters of the Heart of Mary Sisters under the auspices of the Ethiopian Catholic Church. It was first established to provide young girls with a good education and to instill in them love of God, love of country, love of truth and justice and to form responsible women leaders and citizens. Other than the regular academic programs for the Primary to Grade 12, there were programs to educate women to care for their children, etc. initiated by the first Ethiopian DHM Sister, Sister Shoaye Enessu until her passing away in the year 2002. The beginnings of Nazareth School dates back to 1953, when Emperor Haile Selassie invited three French members of the Society of the Daughters of the Heart of Mary Sisters came to Ethiopia to start a school for young Ethiopian girls in Addis Ababa. The Sisters rented a house in Kebenna near Agar Fiker theatre and started the first school for boys and girls. In 1958, the government offered the Sisters the present Nazareth School compound with a small wooden house for a school. When St. Joseph School for boys opened in 1960, the boys in Nazareth School were transferred and Nazareth School began to cater to girls only. Nazareth School is fully accredited by the Ministry of Education. The programs from the Primary to the Pre-College are geared towards achieving academic excellence. The institution has proven its contribution to the society by graduating women who are academically and emotionally prepared to meet the challenges of the present time. Through the years, the students have also consistently performed well in the regional and national examinations. Continuation of Nazareth School‘s 60 years of growth and academic excellence requires improvements in the school’s facilities and learning resources. The improvement project addresses the current challenges and future needs, by adding more classrooms, language, computer and science labs, toilets, student and staff canteen, and significantly enhancing the library and more. These improvements cannot be funded by the modest tuition that the school charges. Contact Rahel Gebre, Alumni Officer, at the school’s Alumni Office for full information on Gala Dinner tickets and/or becoming a sponsor or placing an ad in the 60th anniversary publication ( [email protected]) at 0111-113137 and 0939165544, Sophie Bellete ( [email protected]) at 0920958303, Linda Yohannes at 0936010445 Images: Courtesy of Nazareth School