Two local teens, Melese and Meaza Light-Orr, are making a significant difference in Ethiopia, despite leaving their birth village at a young age. The siblings, both students at Crossroads School in Santa Monica, have raised over $120,000 to help improve education in Kembata, Ethiopia, where they were born.
Melese, along with his best friend Shiv Munjal, plans to raise even more funds with a live music performance at The Crow in Santa Monica on May 3.
“One Crossroads tuition would pay for over 130 children at Kololo School to receive an education,” said Julie Light-Orr, Melese and Meaza’s mother. “The difference in funding is enormous.”
Their journey to improve education started in 2011 when Julie noticed her daughter’s deep love for books—something many children in their village didn’t have access to. Originally, Julie intended to build a library, but after consulting with nonprofits, she realized the village needed a school first to teach the children how to read.
What started as a family vision has grown into a powerful movement that is changing lives. Since its founding, Kololo School has not only provided education to children but also offered them a crucial daily meal. Julie shared that the meal, typically beans and rice, is often the only food they eat all day. “This has helped increase attendance, with almost 100% of the children showing up to school for that meal,” she said.
The school’s impact extends beyond just the students. “Now, kids are teaching their parents to read, and literacy rates in the village have improved. Plus, locals have found employment at the school,” Julie added.
For Melese, who has attended Crossroads since kindergarten, the value of education is deeply personal. “Some of my relatives, and even older siblings, didn’t have the opportunity to go to school. Now, my cousins are attending the same school I did,” he explained.
Along with Munjal, Melese is working to raise $20,000 to install solar panels at the Kololo School. “The area has no electricity, but with solar power, they can access computers and the internet,” Melese said.
The Santa Monica community has played a vital role in supporting the initiative. Mickey Blaine, who runs The Crow Comedy Club, helped secure the venue for their upcoming event. In addition to venue support, local businesses such as Cafe Ruisseau and Tiato’s Kitchen have donated to the cause. Melese and Munjal have also rallied 50 high school students to join their movement for educational equity. The Crossroads community has further supported the project by donating gently used sports equipment, maps, and posters for the classrooms in Ethiopia.
The project has also fostered a meaningful connection between Crossroads Elementary School’s 2nd graders and the children of Kololo. Students at both schools are sharing photos of the plants they grow, strengthening the bond between the two communities. Munjal said, “It’s a special way to bring our communities together.”
