Ethiopia Reads

Ethiopia Reads Ethiopia Reads collaborates with Ethiopian communities to plant libraries, boost literacy and provide youth and families with the tools to improve their lives.

Week five of Gebeta Summer Camp is officially in the books, and we can’t believe that summer is almost over! This week, ...
09/02/2026

Week five of Gebeta Summer Camp is officially in the books, and we can’t believe that summer is almost over! This week, camp focused on imagination, reading, and storytelling, including a special visit to the launch of author Natalie Ortiz Villalobos’ children’s book “Under the Sky of Addis”. Books, creativity, and sharing stories are at the heart of our work, and we were so excited to introduce children to the amazing world of imagining their own stories.

Our goal is to help build a culture of reading in Ethiopia, and we hope that experiences like this will build confidence, curiosity, and joy in the next generation of authors, illustrators, and book-lovers!

Last Wednesday, Ethiopia Reads celebrated Buhe at Gebeta Library! We were delighted to welcome back comedian and childre...
08/29/2026

Last Wednesday, Ethiopia Reads celebrated Buhe at Gebeta Library!

We were delighted to welcome back comedian and children’s author Asres Bekele, who led lively storytelling and read-aloud sessions about the holiday. Children, volunteers, and staff joined in the festivities with singing, chanting, sharing mulmul bread, and lighting the ceremonial bonfire in the evening.

We hope everyone who celebrates had a joyful and festive Buhe!

Highlights from our trip to Ottawa for the 2026 IBBY World Congress! We’re thrilled to celebrate Ethiopia Reads board me...
08/25/2026

Highlights from our trip to Ottawa for the 2026 IBBY World Congress!

We’re thrilled to celebrate Ethiopia Reads board member Lulit Bezuayehu and founder Jane Kurtz, both of whom were recognized on the 2026 IBBY Honour List for their bilingual children’s books. The International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) promotes international understanding through children’s books and works to ensure every child has access to reading. Each year, the IBBY Honour List recognizes outstanding writing, illustration, and translation from around the world.

We’re so proud of Lulit for her English and Amharic book, Little Red Cape, and of Jane for her English and Tigrinya book, āʼedāwe, published by our long-time collaborator Open Hearts Big Dreams Fund.

Thank you, IBBY International Board on Books for Young People, for welcoming us to Ottawa and for your incredible work bringing books and children together!

Week 4 at Gebeta Summer Camp was all about creativity and innovation! Continuing our theme of exploring different career...
08/21/2026

Week 4 at Gebeta Summer Camp was all about creativity and innovation! Continuing our theme of exploring different careers each week, we welcomed professionals from the worlds of engineering and architecture. Campers learned how bridges, buildings, and roads are designed and constructed, then put their creativity to work by designing and building creations of their own!

A month into summer camp, we’re so proud to see how much confidence our campers have gained in their learning, friendships, and imagination. Watching them feel comfortable expressing their ideas, collaborating, asking questions, and trying new things reminds us why this work is so important. የሚያነቡ ያብባሉ!

After months of creating, editing, and continued support from the newly-established Ethiopia Reads UK , the first editio...
08/14/2026

After months of creating, editing, and continued support from the newly-established Ethiopia Reads UK , the first edition of the first Ethiopian comic magazine is live! Created in Ethiopia by Ethiopian artists, featuring 7 stories about brave young characters and their adventures, we’re excited to see how this new, engaging format helps engage more easily with fun stories, feel the joy and excitement of reading and develop a life-long love of books.

Pictured here are children at our Gebeta Library in Addis Ababa flipping through the freshly printed copies. To learn more about Ethiopia Reads UK, visit their Instagram or page!

Week 3 of the Gebeta Summer Camp came to a close last Friday under the theme of “Our Community, Culture, & Environment”....
08/11/2026

Week 3 of the Gebeta Summer Camp came to a close last Friday under the theme of “Our Community, Culture, & Environment”. Reading sessions encouraged children to develop a deeper understanding of the people, places, and environment around them, while arts and crafts activities celebrated Ethiopian culture and traditions. It was so exciting to see children learning about their communities, celebrating cultural diversity and discovering new ways to care for the world around them!

Our mission is to create a culture of reading in Ethiopia, and we know that children learn best when they can see themselves, their communities, and their cultures reflected in what they read. Culturally recognizable literacy activities help children connect stories to their own lives, and discover the joy of reading!

When children play with each other, they bond with each other, learning about themselves and the world around them. They...
08/07/2026

When children play with each other, they bond with each other, learning about themselves and the world around them. They learn how to be independent and how to work together, how to problem-solve and when following the rules is important. They gain confidence, spark their creativity, and create joyful experiences that support their learning and growth for years to come!

Our mission is to create a culture of reading and help children discover the joy of books. But we know that nurturing a love of learning goes beyond reading alone. Play is an essential part of childhood, helping children build the imagination that allows them to thrive in the library, the classroom, and throughout their lives.

Last week marked the second week of our Gebeta Summer Camp, where children continued learning, playing, and growing toge...
08/06/2026

Last week marked the second week of our Gebeta Summer Camp, where children continued learning, playing, and growing together under the theme of “Healthy Living and Well-Being”. Alongside daily activities in English, reading, math, and science, campers explored character development and began imagining their lives ahead.

On Thursday, campers stepped into the world of healthcare, learning about the many professionals who keep our communities healthy. From doctors and nurses to laboratory professionals, physiotherapists, and more, they discovered that every role plays an important part in helping others. Hands-on activities, anatomy games, and thoughtful discussions were the highlights of our week.

We can’t wait to continue sharing summer camp moments with you. Stay tuned for more highlights!

Every child deserves the opportunity to experience the joy of reading, no matter where they live. In the regional city o...
07/31/2026

Every child deserves the opportunity to experience the joy of reading, no matter where they live.

In the regional city of Hawassa, our after-school Donkey Mobile Libraries bring books, storytelling, and creative learning directly to children in neighborhoods where they would have no access to books for interest or pleasure. Each visit is filled with read-alouds, reading competitions, drawing activities, poetry, games, discussions or even just quiet reading that help children build strong literacy skills and grow their imaginations while having fun.

Based at a primary school and traveling from neighborhood to neighborhood around Hawassa, our Donkey Mobile Libraries make it possible for more children to explore stories, spark their imaginations, and develop a lifelong love of reading.

Because those who read, bloom!

Our first week of the Gebeta Summer Camp last week was so much fun! We had almost 85 local children in attendance at our...
07/28/2026

Our first week of the Gebeta Summer Camp last week was so much fun! We had almost 85 local children in attendance at our Addis Ababa community library, who engaged in a variety of fun, interactive, and educational activities. As usual, we practiced literacy through reading sessions, phonics fun, vocabulary games, Word Bingo, story acting, and buddy reading, some of the children’s favorite activities.

We also had mathematics practice through number games, counting play, shape hunts, and puzzle stations focused on strengthening numeracy skills through play, and science sessions with hands-on experiments.

It has been wonderful to see the growing enthusiasm, confidence, and participation from campers over the first week! Stay tuned for more updates to come.

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Minneapolis, MN

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