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On this page stories of individuals, associations/unions or groups associated with the former Miazia 27 School or Jimma will be edited.

FMSSAS- The Former Miazia 27 School Students Association in Sweden

By Wubshet Mamo
1974 graduate
Chairman of FMSSAS  
 
"Helping our former school" , a support from Sweden
 
On 28 November 1992, six students of the former Jimma Miazia 27 comprehensive Secondary school, residing in Sweden formed an association known as the Former Miazia 27 School Students Association in Sweden (FMSSAS) with primary objectives:
(1)- to serve as a social forum for the former students of the school who now reside in Sweden.
(2)- to establish and maintain contact with the former students, teachers, staff, affiliates and friends of the school from all over the world in hopes of possibly establishing an alumni association in the future
(3)- to petition alumni and other interested parties for funds that will provide much needed educational materials to the present students of the school.
FMSSAS is a legitimated association in Sweden. The FMSSAS members are governed by the constitution of the association and the executive board that leads the association is elected by the general assembly.

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Wubshet Mamo delivers FMSSAS 1-st donation of materials to the School sport club. February 1994.

During late 1993 and early 1994, two FMSSAS members visited the former Miazia 27 Secondary School in Jimma (currently known as Jimma Comprehensive Secondary School). Following their visit, a report that describing the decrepit conditions of the school was presented. Based on this report, a call for joint action was made to former students, teachers and affiliates of the school residing in Europe, Canada and North America. A number of former Miazians (most from the USA) responded very positively and applauded the initiative. At the same time, close contact between the former Miazia 27 School in Jimma and FMSSAS has been established.

In mid 1994 FMSSAS initiated its commitment to assist the school and the first materials to be delivered to the school were equipment necessary for the physical training (Sport) department. Since 1994 equipment that are necessary for various academic, vocational departments and workshops has been periodically sent to the school. Moreover, FMSSAS members make occasional visits to the school and design future projects with the staff. We have witnessed that the equipment that the school has received has been of tremendous help to both the students and the school.

FMSSAS has also requested that foreign NGOs and donators contribute to the improvement of this school. In 1998 FMSSAS initiated collaboration with the Educational Center of Kristianstad in Sweden, who's primary objective is to establish international training centers in developing countries and to promote the transfer of technology, Curriculum development and to enable the provision of technical assistances.

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The founding members of FMSSAS: (Right to Left) Wubshet Mamo, Nunu Asgar Ali & Kibebe Tsehai

FMSSAS also arranged for the Director of the Institute, by then Mr. Åke Berglund to visit the school in Jimma. Following his return, a joint collaboration program was established between Mr. Åke Berglund representing the Educational Center of Kristianstad in Sweden and the former Miazia School in Jimma. The first actions of the collaboration included a proposal for a "feasibility study", presented by Mr. Åke Berglund to the school and through the school to the Ministry of Education in Addis Ababa. However, due to the failure to influence the bureaucratic ministerial offices and lack of a continuous follow up from Ethiopian end, the program has not yet been implemented.

We focus on the HIV/AIDS pandemic in Ethiopia

FMSSAS's initiatives are now focusing on the ongoing fight of the HIV/AIDS pandemic. AIDS is a significant problem in Ethiopia. Its major impact is upon the youth, who are the future of the country. Jimma and its surroundings are among the regions that are hardly hit by AIDS.

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The School anti-AIDS club members singing anti-AIDS songs. December 1999.

In collaboration with the anti-AIDS clubs already in existence at the school, FMSSAS will implement a program centered on effective HIV prevention strategies among school age children. FMSSAS strongly believes that a comprehensive education program on HIV/AIDS directed at students, teachers and staff and open discussion of the problem, will certainly create an awareness that can contribute to minimizing the risk of being infected or transmitting HIV. The other aim of FMSSAS is to reach the surrounding communities in Jimma to disseminate anti HIV/AIDS information via the schools anti-AIDS club. Our aim is to assist the school with all available means so that it produces healthy, informed and responsible citizens, which will result in a brighter future for the country.

Establishing a network forum for the former Miazians  (Alumni homepage) 

Since bringing alumni together main focus of the FMSSAS, on 12 September 2001 the first accessible forum (alumni homepage) for the former students, teachers and staffs of the school (alumni) was created (www.miaziaalumni.tripiod.com). Through this forum alumni can meet, chat and share past memories, exchange information and forward projects to assist their former school, as well as others in the country. This forum is also expected to be a useful tool, by providing much needed information to the present students, teachers, and staff in their fight against HIV/AIDS.

Establishing a computer-learning center in the former Miazia  27 Secondary School

Thanks to former students (in particular to Ato Teisir, Aba-Jobir and Ato Zenab Aba-Jebel), the school has the only high-school computer-learning center in the region. The center was opened in December 1999 and a FMSSAS representative was invited to officially mark the occasion. The center has a capacity to accommodate about 20 students, however there is an obvious need for many more students and teachers to have access to the Internet in order to download necessary and valuable educational material. In order to alleviate this problem, on 19 February 2003, FMSSAS delivered 10 late model computers, a laser printer, modems and other Internet accessories to the school.

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The former typing-learning classroom: Most typewriters were very old and out of function

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The current computer-learning classroom: A better education with better equipment.

Aiming at sustainable changes

It is not the aim of the FMSSAS to make the school dependent on external donations. Instead, we hope that our relatively small initiative can plant a seed that will motivate organizations in the country to give more, and at the same time pave a way for larger projects that could bring significant improvements and sustainable changes to the education of all Ethiopian students. The FMSSAS's initiatives and efforts in helping the school have been greatly appreciated by the current students and staffs of the school and by the former students, teachers and affiliates of the school residing in Ethiopia and in Diaspora. FMSSAS is very grateful in particular to those who supported it's initiative from the beginning and also responded positively to it's call for contributions.

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Copyright © 2003 FMSSAS
All Rights Reserved