Meet Najet

Nejat is one of the sweetest girls you’ll ever meet. At 9 years old, she has been at Yiddiddiya school for 4 years now. In the last year alone, she has gained 2.65kg (5.8lbs) in part thanks to our feeding kids program!! 

While we love to just watch her smile, we decided to ask Nejat some questions to get to know her better. We asked about her favorite animal and she answered that she “loves hens very much.” 

Her favorite subjects in school is Amharic (the national Ethiopian language) and English. Amharic is crucial for kids at Yiddiddiya to learn proficiently because many of the students in outlier schools such as Yiddiddiya, do not speak Amharic, but rather a tribal language depending on their state. There are many tribal languages spoken throughout the country of Ethiopia, which is immersive and expressive from a cultural diversity standpoint of preserving cultural individuality, but when someone from a village wants to involve themselves in higher education, they can be barred from because they are not proficient in the national tongue. 

In Ethiopia, after 8th grade, every student must take the equivalent of an entrance exam to get into high school. This entrance exam is only offered in Amharic so anyone who speaks only their tribal language is guaranteed to fail and will be unable to advance any higher in education. Jemanesh has recognized this barrier for children in her area and is intentional about teaching Amharic as well English to provide her students with a chance at higher education. We’re so happy that Nejat enjoys learning this national language--her chances of advancement are vastly improved being bi- or tri-lingual!

On top of her studies, Nejat loves any type of game that involves jumping. She is high energy and fun to be around! Neiva met her mother in February 2025 during her most recent trip, and she (Nejat’s mother, Lula) explained that there is a shortage of clean water in the village, so the fact that Nejat is able to drink clean water with her meals at Yiddiddiya school is such a blessing and promise to her future. Nejat used to struggle with sickness because of bacteria in the water (a common problem in their area), but Lula explained that Nejat has not been sick with bacteria since she started at the school. This helps her participate in all the fun and games she so truly enjoys! 

We are thrilled to bring you stories about kids like Nejat. Many children at Yiddiddiya school have a sponsor in the U.S. but Nejat is still in need of one! If you think you might like to become a sponsor for Nejat or any of our other fabulous kids at Yiddiddya, please contact us at fueltheirfuture1@gmail.com.