From Bread to Balanced Meals: Donors Boost Sheger Prison Preschool
Reading Time: 5 minutesLiving Parchment Ministry (LPM) is excited to announce a significant expansion of its crucial feeding program at the Sheger Prison Seventh-day Adventist Nursery/Preschool on the outskirts of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Thanks to generous donations from supporters both in Ethiopia and abroad, the school has successfully transitioned from providing simple baked bread to offering a full, nutritious lunch twice a week for its 20 young students. This initiative marks a new chapter in LPM’s mission to support the children of incarcerated mothers, addressing the critical need for proper nutrition that is essential for healthy physical and cognitive development. From Bread to Balanced Meals: A Step Forward in Childcare The school’s original feeding program, which involved baking multi-grain bread on a small grill purchased through donations, laid a vital foundation. The new phase builds directly upon this success. With the recent influx of donations, LPM has acquired dedicated child-friendly plates and cups and has now implemented a plan to provide a complete lunch service. “We started by ensuring the children had fresh, wholesome bread,” explained Lizibie Fentaw, who oversees the school. “Now, with the incredible support of our donors, we can offer them a nutritious lunch twice a week. This food is vital—it helps them grow, focus, and thrive in the classroom.” The cost to sustain this enhanced program is $139 per month. This investment directly translates into regular, balanced meals for the 20 children, aged 2 to 6, who attend the preschool. Joy and Gratitude Inside the Prison Walls The expansion has been met with profound gratitude from the children’s mothers, who face the immense challenge of raising their young ones within the prison environment. The mothers are overjoyed and deeply thankful. Their relief stems from two key areas: first, their children are receiving an early childhood education in a safe, stimulating environment—a rare opportunity. Second, they now have the assurance that their children are receiving consistent, nutritious meals through the school’s lunch program. LPM also extends its sincere appreciation to the Sheger Prison administration for their ongoing cooperation and for allowing this transformative work to continue within the facility. Effective Leadership and a Vision for the Future Since Lizibie Fentaw assumed responsibility for overseeing the preschool in addition to her role leading LPM’s circulation efforts, the program has seen marked positive changes. Her dedication has been instrumental in effectively utilizing donations to improve the children’s daily lives and educational experience. The ministry expresses its immense gratitude to all the donors whose generosity made this progress possible. LPM greatly appreciates its donors and humbly asks for more support. With additional contributions, the ministry can increase the days it is feeding these precious children, moving from twice a week toward a more regular schedule. Every donation directly nourishes a child in need. About Living Parchment Ministry and the Sheger Prison Preschool The Sheger Prison Seventh-day Adventist Nursery/Preschool, operated by LPM, provides a safe haven and early education for children living with their mothers at Sheger Prison. Some of these children were born in prison or have no alternative care. The program focuses on holistic development—offering education, spiritual support, and, critically, nutrition to a vulnerable population often overlooked. Your support can help provide more lunches each week. To help LPM expand this vital program and reach the goal of feeding the children three days a week, please visit the donation page at https://livingparchment.org/donate/. “Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward them for what they have done.” — Proverbs 19:17 (NIV)
Filwoha Adventurers Deliver Genna Joy to Sheger Prison Nursery/Preschool
Reading Time: 4 minutesIn a wonderful display of compassion ahead of Ethiopian Genna (Christmas), the Adventurer Club from Filwoha Seventh-day Adventist Church visited the children at the Sheger Prison SDA Nursery/Preschool on Sunday January 4, 2026. The Adventurer Club is a Seventh-day Adventist church-sponsored ministry open to all children ages 4-9. This spirit of unity was on full display as 21 club members, accompanied by their parents, traveled to the prison to share love and gifts with 44 children living there with their imprisoned mothers. The visit was coordinated by the club’s director, Israel Getachew, whose exceptional coordination and heartfelt organization created a seamless and impactful program. The club members, in full uniform, performed march drills, sang uplifting songs, and personally presented a gift to each child at the school, whose ages ranged from infants to 11 years old. “This Genna season, we wanted the children here to know they are not forgotten and that they are loved,” said Israel Getachew, who also inspired the children with a story. The program was further enriched by a meaningful sermon on the life of Joseph from parent Isayas Fufa and a group song performed by the parents. The generosity extended beyond companionship. The visitors distributed balls, toys, nutritious whole wheat bread, and fruits. Thanks to donations from Filwoha Church members, children’s shoes, clothing, women’s apparel, and essential hygiene pads for 192 women prisoners were also provided. Filwoha SDA Church facilitated the trip by providing its minibus, with parents covering all other expenses for the day. The nursery/preschool itself, run by Living Parchment Ministry (LPM), has been operating since January 2025, providing formal education and essential care. LPM’s voluntary school administrator, Lizibie Fentaw, who also serves as a teacher in the Adventurer Club’s Helping Hand group, helped coordinate the visit. On this special day, LPM also donated a 43-inch television to the nursery/preschool through the generous support of its donors. This resource will help children learn songs and educational content and will also support the spiritual growth of the women at the prison. A full report on this and other developments related to the nursery/preschool will be shared in the future. The emotional impact of the school’s work was voiced by one mother during the event, who stated through tears, “Ever since my child started to attend the Nursery/Preschool, I have seen changes in him. I am very happy… I want to say thank you.” Like Filwoha, other churches are highly encouraged to participate in such acts of mercy and care for the Nursery/Preschool. Any church interested in organizing a similar visit is welcome to contact us at +251 91 191 8194. For individuals or groups moved to support this vital nursery/preschool work—including the crucial mission to cover nutritious daily meals for the children—please visit our donation page here. Living Parchment Ministry warmly thanks the parents, the Adventurers Club of Filwoha SDA Church, and the entire Filwoha Church family for standing with these children and mothers. Together, through shared love and service, we can continue to bring hope where it is needed most.
Sheger Prison Preschool Begins New School Year with 31% Growth and Feeding Program
Reading Time: 2 minutesA renewed sense of hope filled the grounds of Sheger Prison as the Sheger Prison Seventh-day Adventist Nursery/Preschool, operated by Living Parchment Ministry (LPM), officially opened its new academic year on Friday, October 17. This year, the preschool registered 17 children—an increase of 31% from last year’s 13 students. As more female prisoners are added throughout the year, additional children are expected to join the program. A Visit of Encouragement and Care Tessfom, a friend and supporter of LPM who was in Ethiopia for other engagements, visited Sheger Prison on October 15 and 16 after learning about the ministry’s work there. During his visit, he met with over 130 male prisoners, offering words of encouragement and prayer. He also brought 120 bars of soap, followed by a second visit where he shared a generous variety of fruits with 60 inmates. He also visited the women’s section, where 24 prisoners gathered to meet him, listen to his message of hope, and pray together. The gesture was deeply appreciated by both the women and men, who expressed gratitude for being remembered and cared for in such tangible ways. Tessfom later visited the prison church and held a discussion with Pastor Wakuma Wakgari, the prison’s chaplain. The male prisoners’ board members shared updates about their ongoing church building project and asked him to represent their concerns and hopes to others abroad. “Our hope is in God,” they told him, “and we will keep praying.” Visits to the Preschool and Children’s Joy Tessfom also visited the Sheger Prison Preschool twice—first to meet the children and pray for them, and later to deliver a colorful variety of fresh fruits for all the kids. He also ordered and delivered 25 new coloring books to help the children start their new school year with joy and creativity. The mothers of the children, who are prisoners there, expressed their heartfelt appreciation. They shared that their children had not eaten fresh fruits for a long time and said the visit brought both nourishment and emotional encouragement. New Feeding Program Launches with Donor Support This school year also marks the beginning of a new feeding program at the Sheger Prison Preschool, made possible through the generous support of LPM donors. Thanks to these contributions, the children are now served some nutritious meals—home-baked bread, bananas, eggs, and rice—three days a week. LPM also purchased a bread-making mitad (a baking griddle), allowing a mixed-grain bread to be baked fresh inside the prison. Both the equipment and the feeding initiative were made possible by donor contributions, ensuring that the children receive healthy and sustaining meals. Inspector Konjit, head of the Children and Women Affairs Department at the prison, attended the school’s opening ceremony and commended the program for its impact on the children’s wellbeing and education. Faith, Growth, and Gratitude Pastor Wakuma noted the spiritual growth among the children and their families, expressing gratitude for the positive changes taking place. “There is a very good spirit of devotion here especially amongst the male prisoners,” he said, “and all are deeply thankful.” LPM extends heartfelt thanks to all donors and friends who make such programs possible. Any continued support, by visiting our donation page here, to sustain the feeding initiative is greatly appreciated.
