Teklu Family Children's Education Fund

Hi, I'm Caitlin Mooney. I live in St. Louis, MO and I'm raising money for our good friends, the Teklu family, so they can afford the fees and expenses associated with sending their three children (two daughters (7 and 9), and one son (14)) to school in their home country of Ethiopia.

This is a very kind and deserving family. Originally from Ethiopia, the family was here in St. Louis because Tibebu Teklu, the father of the household, was completing his Ph.D. at Concordia Seminary in Clayton, MO. Our families became acquainted when our daughters became friends on the first day of school in first grade. I also had the pleasure of teaching their son as a student in my class last year. Eventually, their older daughter began joining her sister and my daughters for playdates, and before long the mother, Eyerusalem "Jeri", and I, and our families had all become friends. Tibebu concluded his Ph.D. studies in May of 2022, and the family returned to Ethiopia shortly thereafter in July. We are keeping in touch, and our families enjoy video calls and frequent emails as much as our new time difference allows.

Unfortunately, while the family was here for Tibebu's studies, a civil war broke out in their home country of Ethiopia. There is also an ongoing genocide targeting the Amhara people, which happens to be the ethnic group of the Teklu family. The political instability led to an enforced famine and the World Food Program estimates that 20.4 million people are in need of food assistance in Ethiopia. Annual flooding in Ethiopia has led to at least 11 deaths in Addis Ababa as of August 2022.

The US government is working with the Ethiopian government to secure stability and peace, but the circumstances in Ethiopia are currently so alarming that forty-one congresspeople (including our own Cori Bush) recently signed a letter urging our government to assign Temporary Protective Status to people from Ethiopia currently in the US. The war, ongoing genocide, famine, and seasonal flooding have created uncertainty for the family since they have returned.

Fortunately, for the time being, the family has access to stable housing and Tibebu has secured work as a pastor in Addis Ababa, the capital city of Ethiopia. However, the family just spent the last six years with Tibebu as an international student in the US, working full time on his Ph.D., unable to earn money. Although he is now working as a pastor, the costs associated with sending their children to school in Ethiopia are greater than what they can manage on their own at this time.

Unlike the US, the schools in Ethiopia are managed by the federal government, and families must pay tuition and many other costs associated with educating their children. Below is a breakdown of the costs of sending their three children to school, according to Tibebu:

You'll notice that I've set a goal of $13,000 US dollars. This is because I'm factoring in the fees that GoFundMe will extract (estimated $400), and the estimated cost to wire this money to them internationally (around $200, assuming it can all be sent at once - multiple deposits will be more costly).

Raising money to support people affected by the crisis in Ethiopia is challenging right now. We (the Teklus and I) searched for options that would allow for the money to be deposited directly into their account, but we couldn't find one. Tibebu and Jeri asked me to collect the money on their behalf and wire it to them. That is my plan, as it seems to be our only option. I will take every precaution to make sure that every penny donated to this cause makes its way to the family. Thank you for trusting me to be a good steward of your resources.

The Teklu family greatly appreciates anything you can offer. They also request that you keep them in your prayers. Thank you for your time, energy, and generosity.