Gezahara High School

Prior to the building of the new school, the nearest high school to Gezahara was in Addis Kidam, about 17 kms away from Gezehara village. Many parents could not afford the cost of accommodation, provisions, and public transportation to send their children there. There was also the worry of abuse, sexual and physical, and insufficient supervision for a healthy lifestyle for teenagers living away from home. Unable to get the support they needed to live and continue grade 9, and beyond, in Addis Kidam, 20-30 percent of students (most of them females) dropped out of school every year.

Partners was invited by the Gezehara and five other nearby communities to help them address the long standing and long overdue request for access to high school education. A very celebratory construction bid process took place in December 2019 and the school opened in September 2021.

The new school serves approximately 1,200 students (at least 50% of them female) in grades 9 and 10 from Gezehara and 13 other nearby feeder primary schools. Many of the students are girls who have not previously been able to attend high school. A number of older individuals who have not had the opportunity to attend school have also now enrolled at the school.