05/08/2026
Success story
Endris Kassaw Belete is a 13-years-old boy currently living in Diha Wodih Kebele, Guba Lafto Woreda, North Wollo Zone, Amhara Region, Ethiopia. Although he was born in Sudan, his early life was marked by family separation and instability. According to his grandfather, Mr. Kassaw Belete, Endris’s mother migrated from Guba Lafto to Sudan in search of labor work. While there, she gave birth to Endris. However, after the child’s father disappeared unexpectedly, the mother brought Endris back to Ethiopia. She left him in the care of his grand-parents. Since he was one year old, Endris has been raised entirely by his grandparents. As Mr
kasaw Belete told us due to his discouraging experience with formal education, when four of his own children dropped out before completing secondary school, he lost confidence in the education system and did not enroll Endris in school when he reached school age.
Despite not attending school, Endris always wanted to learn. Each September, he watched his peers register for school and felt left behind because he could not read or write. This situation caused him to experience feelings of inferiority and sadness. Till now reached age of 13, Endris was helping his grandparents with labor-intensive work and look after cows. However, his desire for education remained strong, and he repeatedly urged his grandparents to allow him to attend school.
In 2025/26, after persistent requests from Endris, his grandfather took him to Diha Wodih Primary School to register him. Unfortunately, he was unable to enroll in Grade 1 because the formal education system only accepts children up to seven years old for initial enrollment. This was a heartbreaking moment for Endris, who feared that his dream of becoming educated would never come true.
Recognizing his disappointment, the school principal introduced Endris to the Accelerated Learning Program (ALP) supported by DANFE Ethiopia. The program is designed for out-of-school children aged 9–14 and enables them to complete three grade levels in one academic year. Endris was immediately enrolled in the program and continue his schooling. As part of the intervention, DANFE Ethiopia provided: Essential school supplies, including exercise books, pens, pencils, erasers, sharpeners, and a school bag for more than 2000 students including Endris.
After joining the Accelerated Learning Program, Endris made remarkable academic progress. Within nine months, he successfully completed Levels 1 and 2.
He advanced to Level 3. He ranked first among 45 students in his class in level 1 and 2. He mastered the four basic mathematical operations. Such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. He became excellent in litteracy of Amharic and moderate in English. He developed strong motivation and confidence to continue his education. He has clearly stated that he is fully committed to continuing his education in the formal school system after completing the accelerated program and that he will never drop out. The impact of the intervention is supported by the following evidence: Academic Achievement: Ranked 1st out of 45 students. Successfully completed two learning levels and progressed to Level 3.Reads fluently in Amharic and moderate in English. Performs all four basic mathematical operations accurately.
Endris stated that before joining the program, he felt inferior because he could not read or write like his friends. After enrollment, he gained confidence and renewed hope for his future. When asked whether he intended to continue his education after transitioning into formal school, Endris responded that he is fully determined and will never stop his education till he become graduate in university.
Accelerated Learning Programs Provide a Second Chance for Many children like him who miss formal school enrollment due to age restrictions can still achieve academic success through accelerated education. Strong Motivation Can Overcome Barriers that Endris’s determination and repeated requests to attend school were key factors in changing his life.
The story of Endris Kassaw Belete demonstrates the transformative power of accelerated education. Through the support of DANFE Ethiopia, a child who had never attended school is now a top-performing student with a strong commitment to his education and future. This case clearly shows that Accelerated Learning Programs are an effective and essential strategy for reaching out-of-school children and helping them realize their full potential.
Implemented by DANFE
Funded by UNOCHA/EHF
