The Shola Children's Library: The Ethiopian Children's Book Center, renamed the Shola Children's Library
in April 2004, is Ethiopia Reads's first project in Ethiopia. The Shola Children's Library has over 20,000 books donated from
the United States and purchased in Ethiopia with a grant from the Presbyterian Women's Fund. The library originally opened
in the basement of Yohannes' house then expanded to fill the whole building with additional tents set up in the yard to make
space for all the children who come. Over 40,000 visits have been made to the library since its opening in April of 2003.
Children from all over the neighborhood come to use the facilities to study, do their homework or escape with a good book.
The helpful Ethiopia Reads
staff is always avaliable for assistance. This is the first free library service for children in Addis Ababa and, according the
the principal of the neighborhood school, an indispensable resource
