Youth apostolate is a major priority of the Archdiocese of Addis Ababa in Ethiopia. The challenges facing young people in Ethiopia are immense: many face a future of poverty and unemployment and can only dream of fleeing the countryside for the capital, or even leaving the country altogether for Europe.
The people of the Gumuz tribe live in western Ethiopia, close to the border with Sudan. Until just a few years ago, they were a mainly nomadic people, but in the late 19th century and well into the 20th century, many of the Gumuz people fell victim to Arab slave traders from Sudan.
The Institute for Philosophy and Theology run by the Capuchin Fathers in Addis Abeba is the only Catholic higher educational institution in central and southern Ethiopia. All the dioceses and all the religious communities in this country of Eastern Africa send their seminarians for their studies there.
The Apostolic Vicariate of Gambella lies in the extreme west of Ethiopia, on the border with South Sudan. It is one of the poorest and most underdeveloped regions in the country, and is constantly plagued by violence, unrest and conflict.
To provide formation for these new catechists, the parish needs suitable teaching materials, including books, Bibles, instructional videos and related equipment for replaying and projecting films, etc. In addition, each catechist is to be provided with an alb to wear when leading the Liturgies of the Word.