EREP

The Reverend Worate Galache (left) is President of Western Wollega Bethel Synod (WWBS) of the Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus (EECMY). His leadership is critical for continued support of EREP. In 2000, Rev. Worate participated in the consultancy to Rishi Valley Institute for Educational Research (RIVER) in India to assess the feasibility of undertaking EREP.

Mr. Teferi Dina (right), Director of Social Development for WWBS, has overall responsibility for accomplishing the Ethiopian Rural Education Project from assemblying the team, directing curriculum development, building the schools, recruiting and training teachers, and communicating with the international partners in India and the United States.

The Reverend Teferi Barkessa (left) was President of Western Wollega Bethel Synod in 2000 and played a key role in achieving approval from EECMY to undertake the Ethiopian Rural Education Project. Currently, Rev. Teferi is Coordinator of the Bethel Synods Coordination Office in Addis Ababa.

Mr. Dugassa Beyene (right) was a member of the 2004 and 2006 curriculum development team that spent two months in India developing the curriculum cards for kindergarten and Grades 1 and 2. At that time he was on the faculty of Bethel Evangelical Secondary School (BESS) in Dembi Dollo where he taught mathematics. As of 2007 he is studing for a master's degree in development studies and will return to WWBS upon completion of that degree.

Mr. Mitiku Tuchoo (left) was a member of the 2004 and 2006 curriculum development team that spent two months in India developing curriculum for kindergarten and Grades 1 and 2. At that time he was Director of Bethel Evangelical Secondary School (BESS), a WWBS institution in Dembi Dollo.

Mr. Emanuel Tesfaye (right) is Director of the Brahane Yesus Primary School, a WWBS institution in Dembi Dollo. He was a member of the 2006 curriculum development team that developed Grade 2 curriculum at Rishi Valley, India. He replaced Mr. Asefa Ayana who participated in curriculum development in India in 2004. (A picture of Asefa is not available.)

The Reverend Deressa Wakjira (left) is Executive Secretary of Western Wollega Bethel Synod of the Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus. In this position he plays a critical administrative role to support the EREP.

Mr. Jirata Roso (right) is the Coordinator of the Ethiopian Rural Education Project, responsible for maintaining communication with the rural schools and assuring supplies and other support reaches the schools.

The EREP is an international project bridging cooperation of Western Wollega Bethel Synod (WWBS) in Ethiopia with the Rishi Valley Institute for Educational Research (RIVER) in India. The administrators and staff of RIVER have played a key role in the project from the beginning in 2000. The picture above shows the RIVER development team at Dembi Dollo in November 2007. From left to right, Rama Rao (Co-Director of RIVER), Krishna and Venu (both staff members at RIVER), Teferi Dina (Director of Social Development, WWBS), Renu (staff member at RIVER), Y.A.P. Rao (Co-Director of RIVER) and Anil (staff member at RIVER).

In February 2000, The Reverend Worate Golache (center) and Mr. Teferi Dina (right) represented Western Wollega Bethel Synod in assessing the feasibility of initiating the Ethiopian Rural Education Project. This picture shows them with Mr. Sailendran (left), Bursar of the Rishi Valley Institute for Educational Research (RIVER), as they visited the plant nursery on the Rishi Valley campus. Close collaboration with the staff at RIVER has been an important element of EREP's success.

The Curriculum Development Team (right) is shown here at Rishi Valley, India, in August 2006. From left to right, Mitiku Tuchoo, Emanuel Tesfaye, Mary Rhodes (International Project Director of EREP, and representing Susquehanna Valley Presbytery, PC(USA) in New York State), Teferi Dina, and Dugasse Beyene.