Underwear, Toothbrush, Books?!?

If you or someone you know is traveling to Ethiopia during 2007, Zethiopia and Ethiopia Reads challenge you to TAKE ONE BOOK with you, because we believe that education is hope and books can change lives.

Thanks to t s e n a n e and her wonderful blog Ethiopian Adoption Travelogue for the tip-off:

TAKE ONE BOOK is a new initiative that wishes to make it a habit for all those traveling to Ethiopia to fill up the excess space in their suitcases with BOOKS.

USAID places Ethiopia's literacy rate at 22%! Ethiopia Reads is a non-profit that believes Ethiopia's future lies in education, specifically, giving Ethiopia's many young people the opportunity to learn to read.

The feisty grass-roots organization is changing the culture of Ethiopia by establishing libraries and other literacy programs, including publishing books in local languages and offering continuing education programs to help educators in Ethiopia nurture a love of reading. Their crowning achievement is the SHOLA CHILDREN'S LIBRARY, the first free children's library in Addis. In 2006, the library logged 60,000 visits!

Ethiopia Reads urges:

If you or someone you know is traveling to Ethiopia during 2007, Zethiopia and Ethiopia Reads challenge you to TAKE ONE BOOK with you, because we believe that education is hope and books can change lives.

For more information on the TAKE ONE BOOK campaign, please contact Catie Dupont at ethiopiareads@aol.com.

Books can be dropped off at Shola Children’s Library. Shola is located in Beklo-bet, behind the Dashen bank off of Debre Zeit road.

There are, of course, other ways to help this amazing organization, including a tax-deductible cash donation, via their PAYPAL button, or via check.

Another fine idea is to buy PULLING THE LION'S TAIL by Jane Kurtz. Jane was raised in Ethiopia and is one of the founders of Ethiopia Reads. She has written a slew of books about Ethiopia. 100% of her profits from this title goes to Ethiopia Reads.

Ethiopia Reads has some other fun ideas to help:

• Ask your library to buy Jane Kurtz's books about Ethiopia.
• Write Oprah a note at her site, www.oprah.com. Tell her this is her perfect project--she just doesn't know it yet.
• Write an article about Ethiopia Reads for your school or church newsletter--or the newsletter of whatever group you belong to.
• Honor a friend who loves to read. Contact them about sending a gift certificate.
• Ask guests of your child's birthday party to bring a book for the Shola Childen’s Library.
• Send a favorite book (in good condition) to the library:

Ethiopia Reads
P.O. Box 2677
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
There will be a overseas rate for sending materials to Addis Ababa so be sure to take the package to the post office so the amount of postage can be computed.

Steal this graphic, link it to http://ethiopiareads.org! Pass the word!