Our new AWSEC (Alchemy World Social Entrepreneurship Centre), named the Webmart Business School, in Harar has opened its gates in April 2008. 30 students (60 percent girls) are now aiming to become successful business leaders in one of the worst hit areas during the 80's famines.

In the next 18 months our new students will learn English, IT skills and a good understanding of today's business world.

 

English teacher Tsega                                   Students in Harar

 

From the very beginning of its operations Alchemy World was very keen on setting up an AWSEC in Babille in the extreme Eastern part of Ethiopia which was one of the worst hit during the 80's famines.

The reasons for the many problems people there are facing are varied. The area is very arid at the best of times and there is negligible infrastructure, which is further hindered by the dispute between the ONLF (Ogaden National Liberation Front) and the Federal government. Many areas are littered with landmines, and virtually no aid agencies are supporting these territories (Fik and surrounds).

Alchemy World, being security conscious, has determined its AWSEC location would be in Harar and youths from Babille would be transported into town daily by bus, or provided with lodgings. We identified 2 teachers from the area as well as 20 students from Harar and 10 from Babille with the kind support of German NGO "Menschen für Menschen".