students served
teachers trained
total community members engaged
Luminos in Ethiopia
Ethiopia is the Luminos Fund’s largest and longest-running program. In partnership with the government of Ethiopia and community-based organizations, Luminos is implementing an accelerated education program, successfully reaching more than 189,768 out-of-school children.
Meet Tibebu, a Luminos student in Ethiopia:
Ethiopia at a Glance
While Ethiopia’s Ministry of Education has made significant investments and developed new policies to support out-of-school children, it is estimated that more than 4.5 million primary-school-aged children are still out of school in the country.
The impacts of conflict and climate change are significant barriers to accessing quality education, with more than an estimated 5.5 million internally displaced persons. Poverty has decreased overall, however, for the most vulnerable families, little has changed in the past decade.
Student Ruth was out of school her entire life before entering a Luminos classroom. Today, her favorite subject is Amharic and she says, “Education gives you knowledge, and with knowledge you can do anything.” (Photo: Mekbib Tadesse for the Luminos Fund)
Teacher Tiblet checks in on a group of her students, answering questions and getting them excited about the reading lesson. (Photo: Michael Stulman/Luminos Fund)
Teacher Derese in front of his classroom, decorated with learning materials and student work. “The best thing about being a teacher is seeing my students’ improvement,” says Derese. “It is quite amazing how they transform within such a short period of time.” (Photo: Mekbib Tadesse for the Luminos Fund)
Luminos classrooms are joyful places to learn. Here, two Ethiopian students play a game outside. (Photo: Michael Stulman/Luminos Fund)
In Ethiopia, students are often assigned different class roles that rotate throughout the year. Here, the class “photographer” shows off the cardboard camera he created. (Photo: Mekbib Tadesse for the Luminos Fund)
In the Konso zone, where Luminos is running a pilot to serve internally displaced children, students receive a hot meal midway through the school day. (Photo: Michael Stulman/Luminos Fund)
Student Firehiwot practices writing in her colorful, joyful Luminos classroom. “I like school,” declares Firehiwot, “because this is where I learn how to write and read!” (Photo: Mekbib Tadesse for the Luminos Fund)
Students are often asked to pair up throughout the day to practice and complete assignments before sharing in front of the class. (Photo: Michael Stulman/Luminos Fund)
Aster (right) is the mother of Luminos student Andenet and shares her daughter’s love of learning. The mother of five, Aster has recently returned to school herself and is studying at the seventh-grade level! (Photo: Mekbib Tadesse for the Luminos Fund)
Student Mebratu is thriving in the Luminos program. Mebratu’s grandmother Bafane has proudly witnessed his growth and says, “My grandchild has improved a lot. He can now read and write. He now wants to share what he knows with others.” (Photo: Mekbib Tadesse for the Luminos Fund)
What We Do in Ethiopia
In Ethiopia, Luminos is reaching thousands of out-of-school children each year through our accelerated education program. In just one school year, we support children to achieve foundational reading, writing, and math skills with transformational results.
To address the out-of-school challenge at scale, Luminos is building capacity within the national, regional, and local education bureaus to adopt and deliver our program. In 2022-23, the government is reaching over 30,000 children through the adoption of our program model.
Through both direct delivery and government adoption of the program, Luminos is scaling to reach new geographies and populations. In the Konso zone of SNNPR, for example, we are testing and scaling a new pilot that is serving internally displaced children, which includes a school meal component.
We have a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Ministry of Education, representing our joint commitment to ensuring all children can catch up to grade level, reintegrate into government schools, and prepare for lifelong learning.
“I have been able to see closely how the lessons are given and how the teachers are committed. The follow up by teachers is quite amazing. They do much better than the regular teachers. Even highly paid teachers do not show this level of commitment and output. The classrooms are lively and have a lot of learning resources. I am now a champion of the program.“
Mesfin Yacob
Sodo Zuria Woreda School Improvement and Supervision Directorate Team Leader (Ethiopian government, district-level official)
The 2022-2023 School Year
classrooms
students
regional states and cities
community partners
These numbers include both Luminos direct delivery classrooms and government adoption classrooms.
Reports & Evaluations
2018 Longitudinal Study (Summary)
(University of Sussex)
2020 Report Synthesis (Out-of-School Children in Ethiopia)
(Ministry of Education, Ethiopia)
All Work, All Play
(Childhood Education: Innovations)
2016 Ethiopia Pedagogical Review
(University of Sussex)
2015 Ethiopia Pedagogical Review
(University of Sussex)
“I’ve evaluated the Luminos Fund’s programs in Ethiopia over a number of years and want to emphasize their impact educating out-of-school children as well as the great promise of the Ethiopian government to adopt the Luminos model in its own classrooms. Especially given Ethiopia’s focus on accelerated education through the COVID-19 pandemic and eventual recovery, Luminos’s programs and this type of NGO-government collaboration can serve as a model for resilient, transformative education during and after crises.”
Dr. Kwame Akyeampong
Professor of International Education & Development at The Open University and Luminos Board of Directors
90% of Luminos students transition to government school upon completing the program
%
Luminos students outperform their peers in English and Math by an average of 10%
- Luminos students 45%
- Government students 36%
Luminos students are happier and more confident than their peers
Meet our Ethiopia Team
Hassen Ahmed Assen
Dr. Caitlin Collis
Dr. Alemayehu Hailu Gebre
Wondu Gudeta
Selamawit Melese
Tegistu Petros Mirkano
Fekerte Bekele Teketelew
Lula Yibaleh
“Every morning I wake up with full energy knowing that what I am doing is not a mere job, but devotion to equip children with knowledge and skills that will lead them to a better life.”
Dr. Alemayehu Hailu Gebre, Ethiopia Country Director and Regional Strategic Advisor
Our Community Partners
Frontline community-based organizations (CBOs) are fundamental to Luminos’ model. These CBOs help select the communities we work in based on local needs, lead community engagement and delivery of the Luminos program, and monitor the program on an ongoing basis. In Ethiopia, Luminos works with the Ministry of Education and the following CBOs to co-create and deliver our country-specific programs:
African Child Policy Forum (ACPF)
Integrated Service on Health and Development Organization (ISHDO)
Emmanuel Development Association (EDA)
Positive Action for Development (PAD)
Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus- Development & Social Service Commission – South Area Work (EECMY-DASSC)
Summer Institute of Linguistics (SIL Ethiopia)
Hope for Children in Ethiopia Relief and Development Association (HCF-RD)
Wolaita Development Association (WoDA)
“Partnering with the Luminos Fund has allowed us to develop our creativity, attention to detail, and ability to set priorities. It’s truly inspiring to witness the transformation of the vulnerable rural children we work with, as they become more confident and outspoken. The innovative and creative techniques employed by Luminos have also contributed to a positive shift in the working culture of school communities. We continue to learn from the program, and it is making a significant impact in the education sector.”
Woinshet Mengesha
South and Central Branch Office Manager, EECMY-DASSC
Latest news & stories from Ethiopia
Konjit: Journeying through Conflict to Education
Konjit lives with her family in Konso, a small farming town in the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples’ Region (SNNPR) of Ethiopia. She loves writing and excels in reading. When Konjit grows up, she wants to be a doctor so that she can help people. But five...
Ethiopia: Tsigereda’s Journey Into the Light of Learning
Set in the rolling green hills of southern Ethiopia, Tsigereda’s village is a patchwork quilt of carefully tended fields, forest, and traditional homes made of earth and wood. Nestled between the fields and the forest is a Luminos classroom full of brightly colored...
BBC News Features the Luminos Fund in Ethiopia
BBC News Africa featured the Luminos Fund’s program in Ethiopia, highlighting how we address challenges of child labor by ensuring all children have equal access to joyful, foundational learning. Watch the segment to see inside our classrooms and hear from Dr....
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The Luminos Fund is a 501(c)(3), tax-exempt charitable organization registered in the United States (EIN 36-4817073).