Embaza Gebreamenica’s father and brother were killed in a war which tore across the Ethiopian region of Tigray.
The 14-year-old’s mother is now a volunteer cook at Beati Akor Primary School where she feeds hundreds of school children a plate of fortified porridge every day.
Community members give the widow 1,500 bir (£20.50) for dishing out Mary’s Meals.
Embaza, whose favourite subject is geography, said: “I’m very happy the school has reopened. We were losing hope but it’s now looking good.”
At least fourteen children lost their fathers in the war, headteacher Tsagay Xnehari said.
Up to 600,000 people were killed and millions displaced during an armed conflict that lasted from November 2020 to November 2022.
Embaza’s school was forced to shut for 10 months but reopened without serious damage to the building.
Mary’s Meals began feeding the life-changing meals to 1,100 students in November.
Embaza, who hopes to be a doctor, said: “We’re requesting that the food support continues. It is critical for us.”
He is the second oldest of four children. His teenage sisters, who are 16 and 18, are engaged to be married to help ease pressure on the family.
Embaza and his classmates are cramming three years of learning into one in a bid to make up for lost time.
Class representative Embaza said: “Our teachers feel stressed. It’s quite different for us compared to before the war. It’s difficult to say we’re learning properly.”
The principal said accelerated learning “is not good but necessary”
Mr Xnehari added: “We have so many traumatised students.”
The number of disabled students at the top school has risen from nine before the conflict to 23 currently.
They receive special education lessons which adapt the lessons to their needs.
Head of Tigray Education Bureau Dr. Kiros Guesh told how school feeding had become “priority number one”.
While repairing damaged schools and replacing lost resources and teachers is imperative, children’s wellbeing comes first.
He said: “Saving the lives of these children is about more than educating them. In the coming years, we may rebuild many schools. But I cannot recover a deceased child.”
The UK charity Mary’s Meals is feeding more than 100,000 children across more than 200 schools in the drought-hit region.
Generous Express readers have already raised £7,500 to help the organisation continue their work as famine looms.
-If you would like to donate to feed children in Tigray, please visit Mary’s Meals.
