Melese Light-Orr and his sister, Meaza Light-Orr, could have never imagined the impact they would one day have on the Ethiopian village they left behind as babies but these Crossroads students have already raised over $120,000 to help build the future of the educational landscape for Kembata, Ethiopia.
Melese Light Orr, alongside his best friend Shiv Munjal, are both high school students who plan to kick off the next fundraiser through a live music performance at the Crow in Santa Monica on May 3.
“One Crossroads tuition would pay for over 130 kids at Kololo to go to school,” said Julie Light-Orr, mom of Melese and Meaza. “That’s the difference in money it takes to educate a kid. The disparity between places is huge.”
Their journey to give the gift of education began in 2011 when Julie heard her daughter’s constant love for books; she knew that these were luxuries that children in their birth village simply didn't have. Julie said her plan was originally to build a library but after talking to nonprofits that work in the region, she was told that a school was needed first to teach students how to read.
What originated as a family’s vision to give back blossomed into a movement that continues to transform lives worldwide.
Since the founding of the Kololo School, this facility not only provides children with an education but also a crucial daily meal. Julie said, “It’s their only meal of the day, a simple lunch of beans and rice, which helped make the attendance almost 100%. Because these kids don’t really eat lunch, they come to school to get lunch for sure.”
The impact goes beyond just the students. “Now, kids are reading to their parents, and the literacy rate in that village is much better. People in the community are employed at the school,” Julie said.
The value of education is not lost with Melese, who has attended Crossroads School for the Arts and Sciences since kindergarten.
“Our relatives, and even some of my siblings older than me, did not have an education. Now I have cousins who go to the school,” he said.
Munjal and Melese aim to raise $20,000 with their upcoming music project to install solar panels at the school.
“There’s no electricity in the area,” said Melese. “However, they have access to a computer now, so with electricity, they can access the internet.”
The Santa Monica community has been the backbone in supporting the Kids For Kololo program. Mickey Blaine, who runs the Crow Comedy Club, helped secure them the Crow as a venue. In addition to venue space, the organizers said that they’ve received donations from two Santa Monica local businesses, Cafe Ruisseau and Tiato’s Kitchen. Melese and Munjal were able to rally 50 high school students to join their movement to increase educational equity. The pair have successfully rallied 50 high schoolers to join their movement to increase educational equity. The Crossroads community has shown strong support, with families contributing lightly used sports equipment, maps, and posters for the classrooms in Ethiopia.
Beyond fundraising, the project has fostered a meaningful connection for the 2nd graders at Crossroads Elementary School with the children in Kololo. Allowing them to share the experience of gardening. “They are growing the same plants and sharing these photos. It’s bringing our communities together in a special way.” Munjal added.
For those interested in joining in on a fun night of live music, the fundraiser will take place on May 3, with a traditional coffee ceremony at 12 p.m. and the bands beginning at 1 p.m. at The Crow (2525 Michigan Ave Unit F4, Santa Monica, CA 90404). Tickets are priced at $12 for students and $20 for adults. All proceeds are going directly toward the solar panel project. These young artists and activists demonstrate that age is no barrier when wishing to create change. Their story shows us that the best way to honor our roots is by planting seeds so future generations can grow.
By: Arabella Joaquin
SMDP Intern
