USAID announced a project to rehabilitate Mekelle Public Library and Adi Haki Youth Center and provide them with materials. U.S. Embassy Deputy Chief of Mission Gwendolyn Green and the Head of the Office of the Mayor Mariam Legas attended the ceremony alongside local officials and partners.  

The Mekelle Public Library is located in the center of the city on a compound managed by the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) that includes a cultural center, youth center, playground, and sports facilities. Before the northern war, the library was a lively site where over 800 people visited per day, and students from many of Mekelle’s higher education institutions used the space to study. 

During the war, however, the library suffered severe damage, including a leaking roof which resulted in many ruined books. USAID has renovated the building, replacing the roof, repairing the electricity connection, remodeling the restrooms, painting the exterior, and constructing an art gallery.  Once the library construction is complete, USAID will procure furniture including desks and shelves as well as books to replace those that had been damaged.