In October 2018, the ILBF was delighted to send a shipment of legal text books to Wollo University in Ethiopia. Partnering with University of Law in Guildford, and with support from Latham & Watkins LLP in the UK and Tabtra Logistics Agency in Ethiopia, 124 text books in were delivered to the Wollo University School of Law library.

Wollo University is located at Dessie in the Amhara region of South Wollo, Ethiopia. Wollo University is a fast growing institute that strives to become one of the top universities in East Africa, supporting the development of the country through quality education, research and community service. At the recommendation of Yonas Girma, CEO of the Ethiopian Law Society for Development, Wollo University School of Law (WUSoL) submitted an application to the ILBF to support this work.

The ILBF partnered with the University of Law in Guildford to collect a range of legal text books for WUSoL. In July 2018, a team of students worked together to pack the books and also organised a bake sale to help fundraise for the shipment. Helen Carter, Associate Professor at the University of Law in Guildford, coordinated the students and had this to say about the success of this collaboration between the ILBF, the University of Law and WUSoL:

‘We are proud to send our surplus texts to a worthy recipient and have been especially pleased in 2018 to be able to help with funding their passage as well. Particular thanks should go to the library staff for continuously saving books for many years, alumni who return with their old books after graduation and to the 5 students who raised over £100 to transport the books.’

Students at the University of Law in Guildford helped to pack the books and raise funds for the shipment

This project was also supported by Latham & Watkins LLP, with a donation towards the funding of shipments from universities in the UK to universities overseas. John-Patrick Sweny, Counsel at Latham & Watkins, is involved in Oxfam’s Lawyers Against Poverty Group and coordinates with the ILBF and Junior Lawyers Against Poverty:

‘Latham & Watkins is delighted to support this great initiative, which serves as a unique way for law students to make a direct difference to the quality of legal education received fellow students in jurisdictions that do not enjoy the same privileged access to legal resources. The ILBF, in coordination with Lawyers Against Poverty, also offers a great platform to foster and develop relationships between UK universities and law schools and similar institutions overseas, both at an institutional and student level.’

Katrina Crossley, Chief Executive of the ILBF had this to say about the project:

‘The ILBF was delighted to partner with University of Law at Guildford and J-P Sweny at Latham and Watkins to make this shipment happen. Collaboration and pooling skills is a very powerful way to support the rule of law.’

The shipment was gratefully received by Solomon Belayneh, Dean of WUSoL

Solomon Belayneh, Dean of Wollo University School of Law (WUSoL), sent a note of thanks to all involved in this very successful team effort:

‘WUSoL is delighted at the donated books and expressed its sincere appreciation to the organisations behind the donation, particularly ILBF and its partners involved in selection, packing and shipping. The ILBF is the first organisation to make such donation to the university, which has opened up a window of opportunities for the school of law to further benefit from such well-meaning non-profit organisations. The books donated are of high quality, and believed to aid the school’s work on research, academic references and general studies.’

The books donated to WUSoL library will aid the students in their research and studies

Wollo University thanks ILBF, Simon Milnes and Peter Clark, Helen Carter with her team of students at the University of Law, Guildford, Yonas Girma (CEO, Ethiopian Law Society for Development), Tabtra Logistics Agency and Solomon Belayneh (Dean, WUSoL) for the roles they played in the donation of such valuable books.

Wollo University also paid special tribute to Dean Solomon for his personal effort and success! The university believes that the books will significantly enrich its library and benefit its students, teachers and researchers immensely.