Success Story of Kidist Mekoya
Kidist Mekoya, a Second Chance Education student, was born in 2005 in Adama town, East Shewa Zone, Oromia region, to her father Mekoya Mulatu and mother Aberu Gutuma. She enrolled in Grade 1 at Ejere Primary School at the age of 13. When registering, her mother fully explained her situation, and following that, Kidist was enrolled in the Second Chance Education Program.
When she first started, Kidist could understand a little Afaan Oromo but could not speak it. She could not recognize letters or numbers either. Over time, through the program’s support, she began to speak, listen, and accurately recognize letters and numbers in Afaan Oromo.
Due to her parents living in different locations, Kidist spent a lot of time away from home, which initially made attending school consistently difficult. However, the Second Chance Program provided her with a fast-track learning opportunity, allowing her to catch up quickly. Now, she is fully integrated into her class and is happy to be learning alongside peers of her age. She is very satisfied with the quality of education she is receiving.
Kidist describes herself as very happy and fortunate to have access to accelerated learning. She has become strong in reading, writing, and other lessons, and she enjoys attending class regularly.