Surprise Them With Chickens

New Year in September! That’s right, in Ethiopia the new calendar year dawns in the month of September unlike our Western counterparts who greet the new year in January. Why so? Well Ethiopians follow the Gregorian calendar, whilst the West uses the Julian. So in Ethiopia there are 12 months of 30 days, and a 13th month of 5-6 days (accounting for leap years).

In 2013, New Years fell on September 11, 2013 also known as Mäskäräm in Ethiopia.

To celebrate Enkutatash, the first day of the New Year (2006 on the Ethiopian calendar), the VCDS in-country staff Mr Tesfaye Ejigu  and Ms Selamawit Fentaw hosted a celebration for our sponsored children and their guardians.

2013 Ethiopian New Year

VCDS  distributed 60 hens and 600 eggs, school supplies and new clothing for  all orphans and guardians. It was an amazing day of celebration and rejoicing, with the children and guardians expressing a renewed hope for the coming year.

2013 Ethiopian New Year
2013 Ethiopian New Year