Lalibela: Rock-Hewn Churches of Ethiopia in Amharic and English

Descend into the gorgeous ancient rock churches of Ethiopia and learn to read in indigenous Ethiopian languages with this beautiful picture book detailing the world-famous churches of Lalibela, which were carved straight down into red rock cliffs. Pilgrims from all over the world travel to Lalibela to worship or marvel at the carvings and holy places of early Christianity in Eastern Africa. The network of underground tunnels and churches are protected UNESCO World Heritage sites and have withstood millennia of religious, political and historical changes. They remain some of the most beautiful and striking Christian churches in the world. Watercolor students at Clark College in Vancouver, Washington created detailed illustrations of the stunning historical churches of Lalibela and side by side text in English and Amharic support emerging bilingual readers. Ready Set Go Books, an Open Hearts Big Dreams Project, is focused on increasing the literacy rate in Ethiopia through giving readers books with stories in their heart languages, full of colorful illustrations with Ethiopian settings and details. Profits from books sales will be used to create, print, and distribute more Ready Set Go Books to kids in Ethiopia, Africa's second most populous country. Ethiopia's population is 44% children, ages 0-14 (43 million out of 97 million total). Only 5.5% of children attend pre-school or kindergarten, and the adult literacy rate is 49%. Our books are based on wise Ethiopian sayings that often rhyme in Amharic. If an adult says the first half, many children can chant the second half. Sometimes the meaning of these sayings is clear. Sometimes it has to be puzzled out and argued over. But sayings and idioms and proverbs help people express truths and beliefs in unusual ways. Open Hearts Big Dreams Fund (OHBD) is a 501(3)(c) not for profit organization that believes the chance to dream big dreams should not depend on where in the world you are born. Our focus is to support nonprofit organizations and their programs that provide literacy, K-12 education, and leadership as well as that support the parents and communities where the kids live, in Ethiopia.