Muhammed's Gifts for the Children of Umer Ali Village

By Samuel Zerihun,  Communication Coordinator - World Vision Ethiopia

In the small village of Umer Ali in Habro district in West Harerge zone of the Oromia region a new satellite Early Childhood Development (ECD) centre had opened its doors to give access for children to play and learn in the middle of their village. The community built the centre in collaboration with World Vision and they were excited to provide young children with a nurturing place to learn and explore. However, the centre lacked outdoor play equipment to complement the indoor learning materials. 

Muhammed, 40, a father of two lives in Umer Ali village. Both a farmer and skilled carpenter, Muhammed had always been passionate about creating a safe and engaging playground for the children of his village. When the new ECD centre opened its doors, Muhammed saw an opportunity to bring joy and excitement to the young learners. He decided to design and build an outdoor playground for the centre without any payment.  

As a father, Muhammed had a personal connection to the project. His own 5 year old son, Amaro, who attends the ECD center, and his daughter had attended the ECD centre and is currently in Grade One. He aspired to see all the children in his village, including his own, enjoy the best possible experience.

I wanted to ensure that my own children, and all the children in our village, had a safe and engaging place to play and learn," said Muhammed. "I poured my heart into creating this playground, and it brings me so much joy to see the kids enjoying it every day.

 Muhammed worked tirelessly crafting a magnificent slide, a merry-go-round, and balance beam. He constructed all the playing materials from the local material found in the village; also fixes those playing materials when broken and/or damaged. His handiwork became an integral part of the early childhood centre’s success.  

The slide and merry-go-round are the most beloved fixtures of the early childhood centre. The young students spent hours outdoors, their laughter and yells of excitement filling the air. Muhammed delighted to see the fruits of his labour being enjoyed by the children as they play in turns sliding down the slide and spinning on the merry-go-round.  

Daily more than 100 children gather to the ECD centre to learn and play with their friends.

Riding on the merry-go-round and sliding down the slide are my favourite things to do at my early childhood development center! It's so much fun to play with my friends and have a great time outside. Firomi, five-years-old girl says. I always feel happy and excited when I go to the ECD centre.

The reaction from the early childhood centre was one of pure joy. The kids couldn't get enough of Muhammed’s creations, spending hours each day playing on the slide and merry-go-round. And Muhammed 's own son was always among them; he giggles and smiles - a testament to the magic of his father's gifts. 

He takes pride in knowing that his work is making a difference, providing the village's children a safe place needed to grow and thrive.