Between 2019 and 2021, the Salesian Fathers of Don Bosco started the construction of Soddo High School, in southern Ethiopia, to ensure educational continuity for students already enrolled in the Salesian complex. The building, designed to accommodate grades 9 to 12, was equipped with 20 sanitary facilities to offer a safe and inclusive environment. Despite difficulties related to the pandemic and political instability, the work continued without interruption and led to the completion of the structure in 2022.
The final phase of the project was carried out between 2022 and 2023, including the fitting out of classrooms and laboratories, the installation of a computer lab with modern computers, and the construction of a fence to protect the school complex. Today the school hosts approximately 432 students and 10 teachers, many of whom come from low-income families or vulnerable backgrounds. In a country where 28% of students drop out before completing secondary school and only one in three schools has functioning laboratories (MoE Ethiopia, 2023), this modern facility represents a concrete response to the risk of school dropout and helps to strengthen teaching, especially in scientific and digital subjects.
Overall, the impact directly involved students, teachers, and local staff, and reached over 2,500 indirect beneficiaries including families and communities. The Don Bosco School in Soddo is now a stable and inclusive educational environment, where young people can study safely, access innovative tools, and build their future with new opportunities.
School infrastructures are the heart of our interventions in Africa: without safe classrooms, adequate spaces, and modern tools, learning remains a privilege for a few. This is why we build and renovate schools, create laboratories and educational spaces that allow children and young people to grow up in dignified environments. Every new classroom is not just a building, but a seed of hope and future for entire communities.
Direct: 892
Indirect: 5,352
Soddo is the capital of the Wolayta zone, in southern Ethiopia, and has about 100,000 inhabitants. It is a lively center, with an active farming community and bustling markets. However, poverty remains a widespread problem: most families live on subsistence farming, while formal employment opportunities are limited. Schools suffer from infrastructural shortcomings and a high student-to-class ratio, often exceeding 60 students. Despite this, Soddo is known for its strong social vitality, youth dynamism, and the growing role of women in community life. These elements represent precious resources for the city's future development.
With the goal of supporting basic education and vocational training, the Foundation invests in infrastructure and initiatives addressing educational challenges such as the empowerment of girls and women.
Each project is developed in collaboration with local communities and aims to promote education, personal growth, and sustainable development.
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The Nuovo Fiore in Africa Foundation is recognized as a public utility organization, registered with the Federal Supervisory Authority, and all donations made are tax-deductible.
