‘When the school was closed, we lost hope’ - Students in Ethiopia share their recovery after a civil war
Three years after the end of a civil war in Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region, nearly half of the children are still not back at school.The regional bureau of education estimate this equates to 1.2 million children getting no formal education. For those that have returned, many are still struggling with trauma issues which can manifest in behaviours like addiction and even aggression towards teachers. During a visit to Ethiopia with Trócaire, the Irish News spoke with students at the Aynalem school near the city of Mekele.Supported by Trócaire, the curriculum is dedicated to helping the children recover from trauma.Like children everywhere in the world, the playground was full of genuine laughter and smiles. Football fans who support Manchester City and Arsenal, they shared their dreams of becoming professional footballers and sports journalists.Several students who agreed to talk in more detail about their experiences said that while they loved coming to school on a Monday, they still struggled.For a start, their school site was previously occupied by the military which the very thought of is enough to distress them.Sounds like jets flying overhead can also be triggering while the conflict meant others were still separated from their parents or living in IDP (internally displaced people) camps.Maths teacher Glebnemedhin Gebrezgiher helps his students deal with trauma as well as their schoolwork. PICTURE: ALLAN PRESTON Maths teacher Glebnemedhin Gebrezgiher told the Irish News: “They still have a fear inside, things are still haunting them from the past even though they are laughing and playing as they are kids.”Five students, aged 13-15, spoke of how the sound of jets, drones and gunfire still traumatises them.One boy spoke of loving sports and how it helps him to deal with his emotional problems.Another girl said she liked experiments and hopes to one day become a scientist.Her friend said the teachers help him “to expect more from life” and to become and active student.When their school was closed, one student remembers the feeling of having “lost her friends” and how it affected her mental health.“We heard gunfire and it kept us traumatised. When the school was shut we lost two to three years.”The teachers explain that students had to squeeze their lost years of learning into an intense three months before continuing.One of the boys said: “When the school was closed we lost hope, that we might not be a good person. I want to be a productive person.”He also shared memories of hearing “jets and drones” overhead.“It keeps us traumatised, the war.”One of the girls said: “It creates fear. All over Tigray, we all heard the sounds. Many kids are still struggling.” “It’s so scary that we were evicted from our home. Our parents told us to keep our heads down.“It felt like it would drop on our heads. We remember when the drones will come.” A boy added: “Our parents asked us to get away from home thinking we were safer. We were afraid our parents might die.”Asked how school helps, one girl said: “Most of the time we talk about school and it helps us to forget things. It keeps our hope. We feel great when we see our friends.“When we come to school on Monday we get happy.”Former student Filimon Zeray (20) was displaced by the war, but says he now has dreams of becoming a sports journalist. PICTURE: ALLAN PRESTON Former student Filimon Zeray (20) is originally from western Tigray.His parents fled to Sudan when the war broke out in 2020, with Filimon travelling to northern Tigray alone in the hope the area was safer.Having initially stayed in an IDP camp, he said the school has improved his psychological wellbeing.“I was feeling very lonely in school and I had no interest in education,” he said.Now feeling able to communicate his fears, he wants to complete his education and become a sports journalist.In the meantime, he still finds it hard to get enough food rations and dreams his home in western Tigray will become safe enough to return.Tsega Zenebe (16) said being around her friends helps with her studies and emotional well-being. PICTURE: ALLAN PRESTON Tsega Zenebe (16) told the Irish News: “This school is really interesting. We don’t have enough materials, just chairs, desks and blackboards (but) I love it.”A fan of Arsenal, she says her future ambition is to become a football player.“Since I first started participating in this activity, it really helped me to grow my confidence and improve my interactions and it helped me to feel good.“Me and my friends help each other by sharing what we know, just educational wise. We study together, so if I have difficulties with my education I can ask them for help.“And even to my emotional wellbeing, we have been through a lot. So when I come here I share things with them…so they help me to relieve my feelings to them and they help me to cope.”Tsega Zenebe (16) outside her school near the city of Mekele in northern Ethiopia. PICTURE: ALLAN PRESTON The Tigray region in northern Ethiopia was devastated by a civil war between 2020 and 2022.
