Basket of Books Program by Ethiopia Reads

Basket of Books Program

As a grass-roots organization we have been overwhelmed with the numbers of people who have reached out to us asking “How can I help?”

The Basket of Books program is an initiative launched by Ethiopia Reads that allows those of us who aren’t able to plant an entire library or publish a book share the joy of reading and make a lasting impact.

You can touch the lives of children who rarely or never get to hold books.

What is the Basket of Books Program?
A simple two-step program! 1) You donate $200 to sponsor a Basket of Books. Each book will have a nameplate placed on the inside cover recognizing the basket’s sponsor: your organization, family, or perhaps a reader or supporter of the world’s children that you want to honor with a gift. 2) Ethiopia Reads will place the basket with a worthy organization that serves children in Ethiopia. (If you like, we will work with you on placing a basket with an organization you might already have a relationship with.)

Each basket of books will contain an assortment of books like those shown in the pictures above – to include Early Readers, picture books, middle grade novels and local language books.

Selam Negussie publishes "Fire on the Mountain" in Ethiopia

Selam Negussie found the book "Fire on the Mountain" in the library where she works and read it. She liked it, specially because it was an Ethiopian folk tale, though it was retold in English by an American writer, Jane Kurtz. She believed that if this story were written in Amharic, Ethiopian children would enjoy it. That was why she translated it.


"Fire on the Mountain", as Selam herself admitted, is an old folk tale. But writing and presenting it for reading has a fresh appeal to what used to be told only orally, she says. Moreover, documenting an oral story preserves its content though not in its originality.

Folk tales are passed down generations orally as fathers and mothers tell their children and grandchildren. In the process, the stories are added to or reduced from and modified in different ways. In some cases, characters and settings undergo minor changes to give them local flavor as the same story is retold in another country.

Selam has read "Fire on the Mountain" written by two other foreigners besides Jane Krutz. The stories were basically the same, but featured different styles. [The late Wolf Leslaw had written "Fire on the Mountain and Other Ethiopian Folk stories" in the 1940s.]

"If children in other countries can read our stories why not our own children in whose country the stories originated?" asked Selam. This presentation in Amharic does not only entertain children, but also helps them develop taste for reading.

"Fire on the Mountain" tells the story of Alemayehu, an opphan boy who is hired by a wealthy, arrogant country man. When the man declares that he has once spent a night on the freezing top of the mountain all by himself and says no one else can perform such feat, Alemayehu, dares to take the challenge. The man bets a sum of money and cows that Alemayehu will not make it. But Alemayehu returns from the mount alive early the following morning. How did he not freeze to death? the rich man asks. Alemayehu says he has seen fire flickering on top of a distant mountain. "So I imagined myself sitting by the fire and enjoying its warmth", he answered. "That was how I survived".

Looking at fire is as good as lighting one, the man argues, and refuses to give Alemayehu the reward he has promised. The rest of the book tells how Alemayehu's wise sister traps the rich man by the same cunning tactic in which the man will be forced to admit his fault and give the boy his just reward.

Selam had not planned to have the translation of "Fire on the Mountain" printed. There was recently a "Book Week" at the Children's Library during which all children were encouraged to read and listen to stories. Since most of the books in the library were in English, Selam had to sit in the midst of the children and translate the stories for them to Amharic orally. She had read for the children "The Emperor's New Clothes", "The Hen and the Woman", and "The Ugly Duckling" and two other stories by Christian Anderson when she stumbled upon "Fire on the Mountain" by Jane Krutz.

The children enjoyed hearing the Anderson stories but even more "Fire on the Mountain" because it was about Ethiopian boys and girls with whom they could identify.

The illustrated book was printed bilingual by the permission of the English edition's publisher, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers and donations from the people of Tippery, Ireland, coordinated by Piers Elrington who also did the designing.

Over 40 percent of the 5,000 copies of the book will be distributed to children in rural areas around Addis Ababa for free. It has been a week since the book was published and Selam says the free distribution has already started in Dukem and Sululta.

Girls Gotta Run - Ethiopian Non Profit - Event in Bethesda, Maryland

February 26 - April 5, 2008
Invitational Gallery
The Mansion at Strathmore
10701 Rockville Pike
North Bethesda, MD 20852
Opening Reception:
Thursday, February 28, 2008, 7 - 9 p.m.


Profits from the sale of this artwork go to buy running shoes for girls in Ethiopia. By training as athletes, these girls can delay traditional arranged marriages which can occur as early as 12 years of age.

To purchase any of the works on display
Contact Pat Ortman
(202) 244-6354 or pat@girlsgottarun.org

For more information and to see some
of the art that will be on exhibit, visit
www.girlsgottarun.org

Choker Necklace - Yuppie Design Rich Olive Green Kazuri and Unikite Pendant

Made Exclusively for SilverChicks - this necklace features an Unikite Pendant Bead and Rich Olive Green Kazuri beads accented with brass spacers.

A contemporary look, this memory necklace is made with rubber tubing for a carefree & lighthearted piece of jewelry.

Kazuri means small and beautiful in Swahili and that is the absolute best description of these hand made and hand painted ceramic beads from Kenya.

For more information regarding this unique, fun, and hip choker necklace, click here.

Fafi's Sheep - Amharic/English Children's Book, now available.

Fafi's Sheep by Netsanet Kidanemariam

Illustrated by Abeneser Mengistu.
Translated by Aster Worku.
Fafi's Sheep is the fifth bilingual English/Amharic children's book that has been published by EthiopiaReads.org.

The story starts: "Fafi had two big ears, but he didn't use them to listen to what his elders advised. "Stop misbehaving! his mother would tell him. "Learn to obey." He never listened to her. "

This book was published in Addis Ababa for the purpose of fundraising for EthiopiaReads. All proceeds from the purchase of Fafi's Sheep go to EthiopiaReads.org and its current and future projects.

To order your copy of Fafi's Sheep, click here.

Gorgeous Purple Kazuri and Blown Glass Bead Choker Necklace - Yuppie Style

This necklace features purple Kazuri beads with a blown glass center bead with touches of pink, white, and purple.

A contemporary look, this memory wire necklace is made with rubber tubing for a carefree & lighthearted piece of jewelry.

Kazuri means small and beautiful in Swahili and that is the absolute best description of these hand made and hand painted ceramic beads from Kenya.

To go directly to SilverChicks website for more information about this choker, click here.

Kazuri Bead Yuppie Style Choker with Sage Green Pendant

This necklace features a sage green Kazuri pendant bead that is accented with sage Kazuri beads and brass spacers.

A contemporary look, the necklace is made with rubber tubing for a carefree & lighthearted piece of jewelry.

Kazuri means small and beautiful in Swahili and that is the absolute best description of these hand made and hand painted ceramic beads from Kenya.

You can purchase this choker, by clicking here.

The Beekeeper of Lalibela Now Available on SilverChicks

The Beekeeper of Lalibela, by Cristina Kessler

Illustrated by Abebe Kassaye. Translated from English to Amharic by Rahel Mekuria.

The Beekeeper of Lalibela is the fourth bilingual English/Amharic children's book that has been published by EthiopiaReads.org.

The story starts: "Long ago, high in the mountains of Ethiopia, where purple shadows fill the valleys and hillsides, the bees arrived in Lalibela. Some said they came to announce the birth of a new king, while others thought only of their honey -- sweet, rich, and golden. As the centuries passed and the word spread, villagers poured in from far and near to buy the sweet nectar."

This book was published in Addis Ababa for the purpose of fundraising for EthiopiaReads. All proceeds from the purchase of The Beekeeper of Lalibela go to EthiopiaReads.org and its' current and future projects.

Thank you to author, Cristina Kessler. For more information about the author and her works, please visit www.cristinakessler.com.

Click here to order your copy today.

Vintage Amber and Silver Ethiopian Pendant now available on SilverChicks

This gorgeous pendant hangs on a 16 inch black Greek leather cord with 1 inch extender chain. The pendant measures approximately 1 1/4 inch in diameter. This pendant has a large enough bail that it can accommodate your favorite chain or wire. We have two of these pendants, therefore this picture is representative of the pendant you will receive. We found this pendant at our favorite bead shop in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia - enjoy!
Click here to order this pendant.

Let’s Read about Africa, Saturday June 2, 2007 10:30 a.m.

Join us for an Ethiopian morning with members of the Washington, D.C. Ethiopian Community Center. Silly Mammo will be read in both English and Amharic. This reading is in conjunction with the museum’s new exhibition, Inscribing Meaning: Scripts and Graphic Systems in African Art, which features a number of Ethiopian works which include Ge’ez and Amharic scripts in works of art.

This program is free and open to the public. Appropriate for ages 5 – 10, but all ages will enjoy this funny tale.

National Museum of African Art
950 Independence Avenue, S.W.
Washington, DC.
By Metro: Smithsonian Station, Blue/Orange Lines
202 633 4640

The Fig Tree by Genet Araya - Now Available on SilverChicks

Ethiopia Reads is excited to announce that The Fig Tree by Genet Araya, a positive story for all children - but particularly wonderful for girls - is now available for purchase on SilverChicks.com.

The Fig Tree is the third bilingual English/Amharic children's book that has been published by EthiopiaReads.org. The English and the Amharic translations were written by Genet Araya, an Ethiopian-born author now teaching at the United Nations International School in New York City.

The Fig Tree was illustrated by Senayt Worku, an Ethiopian artist residing in Addis Ababa.

Ethiopia Reads would like to thank Genet Araya for her generous donation of this book title. In addition to her time writing the original story, Genet spent many hours diligently working through the editing process. We could never quantify the value of this time, but are so thankful.

This book was published in Addis Ababa for the purpose of fundraising for EthiopiaReads. All proceeds from the purchase of The Fig Tree go to EthiopiaReads.org and its current and future projects.

To order your copy of The Fig Tree, click here.

Wonderful Ethiopian Beaded Necklace now available on SilverChicks

This wonderful necklace was beaded by our favorite Ethiopian bead dealer.
The necklace is made of Ethiopian Silver which is 80 percent silver vs. .925 that we are used to. The necklace, excluding the pendant, is 18 inches long. The pendant measures approximately 2 inches wide by 4 1/2 inches long.
Great dangles, we love the detail.
This is a substantial piece of jewelry. Our bead dealer used great old peachy orange glass beads to accent the necklace and it is the perfect hint of color.

Made by our Favorite Bead Dealer in Ethiopia and now available on SilverChicks

Simple Silver and Copal Earrings - The earrings measure approximately 2 1/4 inch long and the copal is approximately 11 mm in diameter.

Hand made in Ethiopia, by our favorite bead dealer, these earrings are made with quality components - and Ethiopian silver which is an 80% silver ratio.





For more information about these earrings - visit www.silverchicks.com.