AWASSA YOUTH CENTER 2008 DIRECTOR’S REPORT
A Landmark Year Brings a Recording Studio, Hit Songs, Basketball Cour ts & One Love on Tour!

It was just three years ago this month we opened the doors of the Awassa Youth Campus (AYC). We had a basic plan, to provide space for youth from all walks of life to learn, create and grow together. It was hard to imagine then that this vision would blossom into a movement.

Our Philosophy stands out among philanthropic ventures. We focus resources on the strengths of Ethiopia’s youth, as opposed to their perceived weakness and helplessness. Their strengths are twofold. First, Ethiopian children are natural born survivors, second, they are far less inundated with the staggering amount of media and technologies thrust upon their peers in the West and, consequently, are more responsive to creativity, participation and not dulled by media. They are ready to play. A crayon, a guitar or a book can still make a difference in Ethiopia. At AYC, we believe this is an advantage, and we aim to use this to unleash the creative energy of youth across Ethiopia and one day throughout Africa.

The OLT continued to perform in cities and towns across Ethiopia delivering HIV/AIDS awareness through storytelling with circus, dance and music. In April we debuted “Adventures in OneLoveLand” an Ethiopian Alice in Wonderland, performing in Awassa as well as presenting a special holiday show at Ethiopia’s only prison for child offenders. In August, armed with magic that we’d learned from Ben Sota of Pittsburgh’s Zany Umbrella Circus, OLT undertook an epic tour to Ethiopia’s Omo Valley, an amazing land and home to some of the World’s oldest people. On tour, we witnessed something truly magical. At Konso, our first stop, it was clear to see that the area was in a time of severe famine. We arrived to find people hungry and understandably, not in the best of moods. One Love took the stage as the sun set over the local soccer field to a crowd of 3,500 plus. From the first note of music, something seemed to change, people had something to smile about. For just a little while they could escape the overwhelming feeling of hunger. The audience filled our hearts with joy and hopefully we gave some nourishment to their beleaguered souls. When the show finished, hundreds gathered around the stage to offer thanks and well wishes; it was a different town. In the end, the tour included a cast and crew of 35, reached nearly 12,000 people in five cities and covered over 2,000 miles.

Music is a universal language and thereby, a founding principle of AYC. In 2008 our capacity to make and record music expanded. This past year, the AYC music program saw one of its graduates grow into of Ethiopia’s biggest pop stars. We recently released Soundz 4 Change, Vol. 1. We’re proud to say this is the first album recorded and produced at AYC’s own music studio, covering the past three years of our music and now available on our Blog http:blog.acpdirectors.org. Moving forward, we envision the AYC music program growing dramatically as music is a medium that truly has the potential to reach millions of youth across the country.

Basketball: In 2008, AYC undertook the Awassa Basketball Parks Project (ABPP) a unique effort that aims to build four “basketball parks” in Awassa by the end of 2009. These parks will also house public art, benches, gardens and additional activities (soccer, volleyball, etc.). In September we opened the first of these located in the park directly in front of AYC facilities. It’s one of the most popular spots in Awassa, and represents the first paved, public basketball court in Ethiopia! The city government of Awassa put their full support behind the project. ABPP is a pilot project; with proper support we believe it can be successful across Ethiopia, Africa and the World.

US Tour: Between October 1st and November 15th we undertook an AYC fundraising and awareness tour across the US. It was humbling to see the amount of support and understanding there is for the program. Thank you all who helped make the tour happen. Above all, the tour was invaluable learning experience. It allows to strongly solicit support as we properly shape AYC for the better, looking towards the future of Awassa and African youth. The Bottom Line: The cost has been so little and the achievements so many. In just three years, AYC has become a model for promoting holistic youth development in Africa. costing only $100,000 over three years. That’s the annual salary of one International NGO 2.5ion such as ours, every contribution of any size makes a difference. No amount of giving is too small.

Future Perfect: Look for an expansion of programming with more theater, music, aikido, learning and basketball for 2009. We’re also looking for the next site to be in the town of Harrar if all come together as we believe it shall. From the hundreds upon hundreds of kids who come through our doors and the thousands and thousands of people we touch throughout Ethiopia we say thank you for the past, present and future support. Together we make one heart for the children of today and those who will come tomorrow and thereafter.