Eritrean Relief Association (UK)

Sheweet Tewelde Kidan completed the Virgin Active London Triathlon On 30th July  to raise funds for ERA-UK’s work with vulnerable children in Eritrea. She swam 400 mts., cycled 10K and ran 2.5K all on the same day raising £346.76 (including Gift Aid).  ERA-UK is grateful for her exemplary efforts and commitment especially as she is the first to take up a triathlon challenge for ERA.

Costa Stylianidis of London  has been tirelessly working in support of the construction, furnishing, equipping and maintenance of the St. Francis of Assisi School in Massawa, Eritrea, which was completed and inaugurated on 5th January 2010.

A total of 800 bicycles, red for girls, yellow for boys, were purchased at 65 Euros each, and sent to the school from Italy, where the larger number of fund raisers are based.  The children have been trained in safety, traffic regulations, and maintenance of the bikes before being provided with one.  In addition to making the children the proud owners of the bikes, they have greatly facilitated and eased their means of transportation to/from school. Costa is now busy collecting and shipping books for the school library. To donate visit him on www.mybaobab.com

About four years ago a few parents of children assessed to be autistic in Asmara got together to research the level of its prevalence in the country and discuss the possibility of forming a parents’ support group. They approached the Eritrean Relief Association UK (ERA-UK) seeking written material on awareness, assessments, diagnosis, education, and also support with their care planning, bonding and stress management. They knew they would be undertaking a huge task and were starting their work from scratch as they could not find any previous substantive study done on Eritrean children on the subject.  ERA-UK was supportive of their request and encouraged them to form and get official registration as a parents’ association in order to reap the benefits of formal recognition.

What started as an initiative of a few parents of Autistic children in Asmara soon gathered interest and parents of children with Down’s Syndrome and other mental health disorders were presenting with their needs from many other parts of the country. Read More...