Ethopian children are gaining literacy skills thanks to Yohannes Gebregeorgis and his organization Ethiopia Reads. He has been selected as one of CNN's Heroes of the Year for his outstanding work in bringing books--and the love of them--to Ethiopian children. Gebregeorgis, who built a library in his own home in Addis Ababa, says he was tremendously influenced by PCVs during his youth and their efforts to better his life have inspired him to try to better the lives of others.
His successes have been huge. In addition to the original library in Gebregeorgis' home, the organization established the Awassa Reading Center and Ethiopia's first Donkey Mobile Library, a customized a donkey-pulled trailer-cart that now makes weekly visits to rural villages around Awassa. Ethiopia Reads recently held its fifth annual Ethiopia Children's Book Week. In 2007, the group offered nearly 94,000 children access to its libraries in Addis Ababa, Awassa and on shady clearings along the Ethiopian countryside.
You can vote for Gebregeorgis to become CNN Hero of the Year and show the world the inspiring impact the Peace Corps can have.
To see Gebregeorgis talk about his work, click here.
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