Through its distance adoption programs and school adoption programs, ASPE Onlus guarantees the livelihood and schooling of thousands of children in Eritrea, Ethiopia and Sudan and supports the school activities for the Eritrean and Ethiopian refugees in the latter country, catering for as many as 4.500 pupils.
It collaborates with various associations and NGO’s, such as “Centro Aiuti per l’ Etiopia Onlus”, “Novara Center Onlus”, “Retetosta Onlus”, “O.N.G. Gandhi” and church groups actively devoted to human development and promotion projects in Eritrea, Ethiopia and Sudan.
It also collaborates with the Capuchin friars and the members of other male and female religious institutes in Eritrea and Ethiopia, again in the field of human and social assistance.
Over the last years, ASPE has managed to undertake and accomplish a number of projects, mainly in Eritrea, Ethiopia and Sudan. Such projects include: the excavation of numerous wells and the construction of clinics, schools, orphanages, and meeting halls like the cultural center in Dekemhare and the multipurpose center in Embayala. Recently, thanks to the contribution of ASPE, a very modern school, declared by many as the most beautiful of its kind built after the independence of Eritrea, has been erected in the port city of Massawa. ASPE is also working for the construction of a new high school in Mendefera.
Current President of ASPE Onlus is Father Berhane Ghebrekidan, working in strict collaboration with Ms. Nighistina Teclemariam, secretary and coordinator of the activities of the Association, with Father Tewelde Beyene, a former provincial superior of the Eritrean Capuchin friars, and Father Mengsteab Ghebremicael, chaplain of the Etio-Eritrea catholic community in northern Italy, as well as a network of lay volunteers scattered all over Italy.
