In recent days, the Salesian community at the Don Bosco Catholic Center in Gambela has experienced two beautiful celebrations that remind us of the strength and worth of women.

First came the celebration of International Women’s Day with the secondary-school girls. Speakers from local institutions encouraged the girls to have self-confidence, to pursue education and to find the courage to change the world — they were also inspired by the examples of women such as Malala Yousafzai, the youngest Nobel Peace Prize laureate, who fights for girls’ right to education.

This was followed by a festive recognition of the women who form the heart of the Don Bosco Gambela school: teachers, non-teaching staff, cooks and cleaners. The pupils sang for them, said thank you, and each of them received a small symbolic token of gratitude for their daily, quiet, yet immensely important service to the community.

These two events remind us and underline that educating girls and supporting women are the key to real change.

And that is exactly what our Child Adoption in Ethiopia programme is striving for — to give children from poor families a chance at a dignified life and the hope of a better future.

Thank you to all the donors whose support makes such stories of hope possible.