Graduate student from marginalized community and destitute Families
In Ethiopia, many young people find themselves unable to pursue further education after completing their secondary and preparatory education. This is because of their parents’ financial difficulties, which include not being able to pay for their education, transportation, and other university-related expenses. PBF has been providing monthly support to numerous students for over 10 years, ensuring their financial stability through their bank accounts and student representatives.
Our volunteers, school teachers, and kebele representatives have been identifying students from low-income families since 2007. After the PBF student representative verified their academic records and family’s socioeconomic status, they were added to the PBF student list. According to the PBF scale of private and public university attendees’ amounts, students will receive support either monthly or every three months for their tuition and other educational costs. Every student will submit their registration slip and grade report each semester until they graduate in order to ensure their viability. The support will end once the student graduates, and another student who seeks our support should be included.
PBF has supported also other expenses like graduation costs, school fees if they are private university attendants, bought a laptop for those who need for their graduation dissertation and computer programs, field materials cost, and laboratory costs for those who graduate with lab-based research dissertations.
In the past two years (2021–2022), PBF has supported 47 private and government university students. Among them, 16 students have graduated with PBF support, including their graduation ceremony.
This year, we have 35 private and government university students, among whom six are graduates of 2023, namely Tigst Mekuanent Chalachew, Genet Antonios Zecharias, Tadiso Fentaw Birara, Tadesse Birara Zeliku, Getasew Hailu, and Kelemwork Moges.
Of the graduated students, some of them shared their happiness and feelings about what PBF did for them as follows:
Hailye Mesele
A 20 years old boy who attend a BA degree in Management in Ambo University
“Thanks for giving me this opportunity and joining me on this student list, and I am happy with this practice. “Without PBF support, I wasn’t able to attend my class effectively.”
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Eyob Asmelash
A 23 years old boy who attend Architectural engineering in Addis Ababa University
“I was able to pursue my studies in Sirhat because I found you (PBF), because I am getting what I want, everything is fulfilled for me. I was able to attend my studies happily and I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart.”
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Mellat Mola and Merron Mola
A 20 years old twins girl attend Pharmacy at Tropical College and Social science at Woldia University
“I really thank for all thing what God gave me PBF. I really say god pay you what you doing for me. I was worried if I stopped am happy now and motivated to do more than ever. PBF reached me in my harsh time. I am very happy now. Nothing stop me from success right now.”
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Amha Mengstu
A 30 years old boy who take in grade 10 National exam
“Since meeting and coming to PBF, I have been very happy. Because now I am studying well my study. Although the money given to me by the organization does not cover all me monthly expenses it is enough to cover my educational expenses I sincerely thank me father peter and all the partners of PBF.”
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Netsanet Kasahun
A 21 years old lady who graduated with BSc. Nurse from Bahir Dar Alkane health science and Business College
“First, I thank you very much for my God and PBF. I promise that I will be a child who will make my country proud and benefit my families. I will do everything, I can to help people me who want to learn. This all success may not be came true without PBF support.
My learning does not end here with the creator, it continues from hear on. I want to learn cardiac surgery and reach out to sick children suffering from heart disease in Ethiopia.”
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Mohammed Mushag
Mohammed Mushaga is one of the PBF graduate students with a master’s degree in foreign languages and literatures at Addis Ababa University. He lives with a severe disability, having lost both hands in a fire accident when he was 8 years old.
Currently, he is a PBF student coordinator countrywide. He pays students’ monthly upkeep, addressing their needs and following their academic status. This makes PBF different; it always gives special attention to disabled people, patients, marginalized communities, and the poorest of the poor.
“”God bless Dr. Peter Bachmann and PBF. Generations are getting mature, educated, and know their determination.”
Getachew Sale
One of the PBF doctoral students in human nutrition at Hawassa University