Ethiopian Global Initiative Hosts Ceremony at U.S. Embassy in Ethiopia

Addis Ababa high school student, Bitanya Yosef, explains
how she thinks the paintings relate to the presentation
on the topic of Juvenile Delinquency. (EGI Photo)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, August 9, 2011 – U.S. College Students for Ethiopia (USCSE), a project of the Ethiopian Global Initiative (EGI), hosted a closing ceremony for its Youth Community Dialogue participants at the Embassy of the United States of America on Saturday, August 6.

The Youth Community Dialogue is a USCSE summer program that helps Addis Ababa high school students communicate effectively and creatively to their peers and community members about issues important to them in their local neighborhoods. Through this Dialogue, USCSE promotes a culture of volunteerism and community engagement among local youth, while developing their analytical, communication, and problem-solving skills.

For five weeks, 20 participants engaged in stimulating discussions and prepared presentations on issues ranging from “Youth Self-Expression” to “Juvenile Delinquency,” under the guidance of U.S. and Addis Ababa University students. Participants had the opportunity to speak and interact with Diaspora professionals that returned to Ethiopia to contribute to the country’s development. 

View full press release and pictures here.

EGI's President works with Maryland Ethiopians

Meeting with some members of the Montgomery County
Ethiopian Sister City Committee at Abyssinian
Ethiopian Restaurant. Photo Source: click here.

This past weekend, our President was in Washington, D.C. One of the things he did was meet with representatives of the Montgomery County Ethiopian Sister City Committee. The meeting took place at Abyssinia Ethiopian Restaurant in Silver Spring, Maryland. Check out Samuel's thoughts on the meeting here.

Hands on Involvement

By: Danielle Nispel

December 16, 2010

Ethiopia first came into my life when I entered high school and got involved in Habitat for Humanity. Our club spent most of our efforts raising funds and working to help build homes around our own community. The process was rewarding and life changing. At each house site we worked on, we had the chance to meet with the future homeowners and work with them to help build their future house. Seeing the difference that Habitat for Humanity had in our own community made us want to make more of a global change. That’s where Ethiopia came in.

According to Habitat for Humanity, 85% of houses in Ethiopia are poorly constructed out of mud and stick or thatch walls. These living conditions were precursors to a lower quality of life overall affecting factors such as education as well as health. The idea of being able to bring a family out of those conditions for only $2,500 changed the way our club ran and my own viewpoints. Since raising funds to build houses in Ethiopia I have not had the chance to get involved again until a friend recommended the Ethiopian Global Initiative.

The Initiative brings together such a committed group of people intent on creating a more optimistic future. My hope is that this will just be my first step in working with Ethiopia and other countries to help give power back to the citizens. That hands on experience I received working in my own community is something I’d like to be able to experience again in Ethiopia and I’d like to be able to help others reach that goal as well.

Danielle Nispel, an undergraduate student at American University in Washington, D.C., is majoring in Political Science and serves as a Steering Committee Member of U.S. College Students for Ethiopia, an innovative project of the Ethiopian Global Initiative (EGI) that provides college students from the United States the opportunity to intern or volunteer with Ethiopian-led organizations headquartered in Ethiopia.

Exploring Ethiopia at Olivet

President Samuel M. Gebru poses for a picture following
his presentation and is joined by Olivet Pastor Kris Gorden
and other members of the Ethiopia delegation.
Photo: Lori Bakken

By: Samuel M. Gebru

December 6, 2010

I went to Olivet Lutheran Church in Fargo, North Dakota, yesterday afternoon to speak about the Ethiopian Global Initiative and Ethiopian history and culture. 

Having been invited to speak by members of the Olivet delegation to Ethiopia, I enthusiastically accepted the invitation as an opportunity to share the richness of Ethiopia. The group, composed of young and old, is a cross-section of various professions and interests.

My presentation, entitled "Exploring Ethiopia," gave the group an overview of the Ethiopian Global Initiative's history, mission and projects. I highlighted the importance of building a global coalition of like-minded thinkers who share one thing in common: an affection towards Ethiopia. 

Since the group is going to Ethiopia for the first time, with the exception of one adult who previously adopted two young girls from Ethiopia, I gave an overview of the country. Beginning from the geography, explaining that Ethiopia is about twice the size of the U.S. state of Texas, I took the group 5,000 years back to describe an ancient empire that controlled the Red Sea and traded with other empires as far as India and China. 

I also went over certain customs and traditions that Ethiopians consider to be very important; whether it is how to properly greet others or to partaking in the Ethiopian coffee ceremony, customs are very important in Ethiopia. It was fun going over the practice to prepare food and insist that your guests eat, even if they claim that they are not hungry, which is also customary to claim you are not hungry even if you are! A sort of back-and-forth exchange ensues before the guest accepts the food.

Following my presentation, I had the opportunity to answer questions from the delegation members and I also asked them questions about their goals in going to Ethiopia. Their goals ranged from learning more about Ethiopia to finally meeting the orphans they have sponsored at the Kolfe Boys Orphanage in Addis Ababa for some years now.

Most importantly is their continued involvement in Ethiopia. I encouraged them to become Ambassadors of Ethiopia when they return to the United States; to share their experience with their families, Church community, colleagues and friends. Not only do they serve as Ambassadors of Olivet when going to Ethiopia but they return to the United States with a duel perspective.

They all agreed that at the end, we're all just that--Ethiopians.

Misplaced Priorities of the Ethiopian Diaspora

By: Samuel M. Gebru

November 28, 2010

Author’s Note: This article was inspired by the conversations I had with members of my family over the past two days. During the Thanksgiving weekend, we discussed much about keeping the culture of our native homeland Ethiopia and ethnic group while living in the United States. I have added much to this article, particularly in my conclusion on using the Ethiopian Global Initiative’s mission statement as a possible action plan, but the basis was from our conversations.

BACKGROUND

According to the United Nations Development Program, Ethiopia lost over 75% of its skilled workforce between 1980 and 1991. These were the years of the civil war, when Ethiopia was governed by Marxist ideologies. Before the fall of Emperor Haile Selassie in 1974, most Ethiopians in the United States were either students or businessmen. There was hardly an immigrant community of any strong number.

Since our Marxist days, Ethiopians have left to many other countries in search of improving their lives and leaving the political, economic and social issues that continue to constrain Ethiopia. Many Ethiopians have been victim to countless traumatic events. What used to be a community of temporary students and businessmen became a community of immigrants and refugees.

As the Ethiopian diaspora increased from war-to-war, revolution-to-revolution, so did social and economic concerns. Ethiopian adults, both educated and uneducated, found it very difficult to find meaningful employment in their adopted homelands. Many Ethiopian Medical Doctors, for instance, had to retake courses to satisfy American requirements. Ethiopians who were teachers in their homelands became parking lot attendants for American sporting events. It was back to zero for many in the Ethiopian diaspora.

The unanswered problem was the social aspect. Without a doubt, Ethiopians face a cultural shock when coming to the United States. Because the community lacks the resources to address those cultural shocks, the economic problems become widespread. While Ethiopian adults were too busy focusing on making ends meet for their immediate families, new expectations of supporting their extended families in Ethiopia grew. The end result is a lack of cultural connection between Ethiopian parents and children.

PROMOTING AND PRESERVING OUR IDENTITY

Faced with two jobs, trying to go to school and learn English and perhaps a vocation while also trying to navigate an entirely new country and culture, Ethiopian parents did not pass on the Ethiopian identity to their children. In a similar article I wrote on July 22, 2010 on my personal blog, We Do Not Know, I asked:

Who do we blame for our lack of knowledge? Can it be the parents? Fine, some blame can go to our parents who seldom teach us anything on Ethiopia—but how much can one expect from people that are struggling to raise us? When you live in a country whose culture and language you have not mastered, it is hard to focus on anything else but getting by. Perhaps it is our community that we should blame. I would reply: what community? Ethiopians seem more divided than united in the diaspora. So there is no community from the onset to blame!

The first responsibility of raising and educating a child goes to a parent. If parents do not actively promote Ethiopian culture to their children, then there will be a knowledge gap. The identity is lost when young Ethiopians are not taught about the big multicultural mosaic known as Ethiopia. Not knowing about their culture is a very troubling reality for many young Ethiopians in the diaspora. Ethiopians should be most proud of their identity; Ethiopia is the only African country to never be colonized, the first country to accept Christianity, a country proclaimed the land of justice by the Islamic Prophet Mohammed, one of the oldest continuously surviving countries and the touted cradle of mankind.

The unique identity of the Ethiopians is not being taught or told in adopted homelands such as the United States. Young Ethiopians should be the first in line to be taught about their identity; before promoting it to non-Ethiopians, Ethiopians should be made aware. So, if the parents are too busy and are struggling night and day to make ends meet for their children, who can teach the young Ethiopians of their history, culture and language?

CREATING A MEANINGFUL COMMUNITY

Little Ethiopia in Los Angeles, California is often cited
as an example of meaningful community

Ethiopians in the diaspora need to draw lessons from other immigrant communities in the United States. The Chinese, Israeli, Mexican and Greek communities have been able to establish themselves in meaningful communities that are free from politics, religion and ethnicity. These communities are united and all share the mutual concern of preserving their native identities in the United States.

The result is phenomenal. Chinatown has become a thing of urban living for many cities throughout the world. The Israeli/Jewish community has become one of the biggest and most politically important communities in the United States through their strong unity and advocacy for their rights. Mexicans and Greeks import their own products to the U.S. to boost commerce, open cultural centers and use their Churches as points of community.

Currently, there are many Ethiopian community organizations established throughout the diaspora that all share the same mission statement. In practice, however, much is to be desired. Nonetheless, the organizations that do strive to bring their divided communities together are never supported enough to accomplish their goals on a big scale. In this case, the result is almost tragic. For instance, we Ethiopians do not have a central place in Washington, D.C. or Boston or Houston to call home; a place that is apolitical, indifferent to one’s ethnic and religious affiliations. The tragedy extends itself when we are faced with major problems, such as death.

The recent and unfortunate death of Ali Mohammed of Washington, D.C., and the outcry of the Ethiopian community that followed, showed me that there is a long way before we are able to deal with problems facing our community. Whether it is defending for our rights or promoting our identity, we face a serious problem with responding to these issues unless we create meaningful community organizations. These organizations should be able to bring all of us in, ethnically and religiously—Tigrayans, Amharas, Oromos, Gambella, Orthodox, Pentecostal, Muslim, Jewish, etc. And if they don’t, then they are not truly commUNITY organizations.

ADVOCATING FOR OURSELVES

Young Ethiopians should advocate for themselves. They should advocate at community meetings and within their churches, demanding to be taught their languages. Amharic is Ethiopia’s official language—we should all learn it. We should also branch out and learn our ethnic group’s language too; and if our ethnic group speaks Amharic as its primary language then we should learn another ethnic Ethiopian language. Language is one of the most important ways to become more culturally competent; language makes it possible to learn more about another culture. Realistically, many Ethiopian youth who don’t know their language travel back to Ethiopia and are as good as deaf.

Advocating for ourselves moves beyond learning their language. The Ethiopian identity extends to our religion, music, traditions and values. This identity is endangered in many of our diaspora communities simply because we as a whole let it happen. Like the Greek and Chinese, we should invest in community centers and “Little Ethiopias” throughout the world that would serve as places where we can keep our culture alive. Parents who do not have the time, resources or knowledge to help their children fully understand the Ethiopian identity could then send their children to these community centers.

We must further this advocacy to include the entire community. Ethiopians must also advocate, as a community, for their rights. We cannot and should not be a reactionary society; it is not Ethiopian culture to be reactive. The Ethiopian identity teaches us that the bravest and most heroic Ethiopians were proactive. When the U.S. Congress meets to debate healthcare reform or immigration reform, Ethiopians should stand as a community and not as individuals to inform the Congress of their opinions. Sadly, the Congressional Caucus on Ethiopia and Ethiopian Americans is not used for these purposes. While they are there to serve as our microphone on Capitol Hill, we either ignore it or misuse it.

NEXT STEPS

Its time for a major change in our thinking. Albert Einstein once said, “You can’t solve a problem with the same thinking that caused the problem.” Our current thinking is of separation and self-interest. In order to continue the Ethiopian identity, we must proactively promote it by teaching each other and, in turn, teaching the rest of the world. Our priorities are misplaced. We have focused too much about what happens in Ethiopia while we forgot about how our communities are living abroad. Surely this is not a call to abandon everything in the native homeland—to do this would be unthinkable!

The next steps are to build bridges with one another and share ideas and solutions. Since the blame game is neither effective nor efficient, we cannot point fingers at this group or that group. The most important thing now is to be proactive and think about tomorrow and the challenges the Ethiopian diaspora will face then.

In the June 2010 conference of the Ethiopian American Youth Initiative, now Ethiopian Global Initiative (EGI), much was discussed about the disillusion of Ethiopian youth in the diaspora, particularly the United States. Encounters with the Justice System and teen pregnancy were discussed as two very noticeable ways that the Ethiopian youth are being negatively impacted. Having strong communities that are able to keep the youth out of trouble and in positive atmospheres is what we need. Two prominent examples of this are seen with Young Diplomats in Toronto and the Debre Selam Kidest Mariam Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church Mentorship Program in Washington, D.C.

My next step is to challenge you, as the reader, to act. The 2011 EGI Global Summit host university will be announced shortly and that will be a prime venue to discuss solutions to problems that the Ethiopian diaspora faces. Throughout the summit, participants will discuss how best to combine their social and intellectual capital to launch community-based projects that promote the Ethiopian identity, economic prosperity and civic engagement. Participants will also have the opportunity to learn more and get involved in sustainable projects that aim to transform Ethiopia.

Coming together in a central hub, as our new logo depicts, is the goal of EGI. To have multiple projects going on throughout the world all with various ideas and characteristics is EGI’s purpose. EGI’s mission to bridge previously divided communities together through projects that will undoubtedly change our thinking will unite all these projects.

The next step is to act.

Samuel M. Gebru is the President of the Ethiopian Global Initiative. To get involved with the work of EGI email action@ethgi.org and visit www.facebook.com/ethgi.

New Leadership for Ethiopia

By: Samuel M. Gebru

After returning from my third trip to Ethiopia in 2004, I was encouraged by the growth and development in Ethiopia but equally saddened by the severity of poverty throughout the country. It felt like for every one step made forward, two were made backwards. It was not until December 2004 when watching the Oprah Winfrey Show’s special program on the work of Dr. Catherine Hamlin of the Fistula Hospitals of Ethiopia that I decided to get involved in making a difference in my native land.

Its now nearly six years since learning about Dr. Catherine Hamlin and the wonderful work at the Hamlin Fistula Hospitals of Ethiopia. This network of six hospitals, with its flagship in Addis Ababa, serves as the world’s exclusive center of fistula repair surgeries.

With six years of experience in community organizing, I have come to quickly learn that Ethiopia has an abundance of untapped leadership within the country and its diaspora, waiting to be unleashed. For a country like Ethiopia, a country that is foolishly labeled as being part of the “third world” as if there are multiple worlds we live in, developing a strong generation of leaders is tantamount to nation building. After the Ethiopian civil war, Ethiopia had to rebuild itself. Largely, the country remains in its rebuilding phase and has a long way to go.

While strides in access to education and health have been made, there is a lack of a strong emphasis of leadership skills and critical thinking in Ethiopia. African countries, rightfully so, tend to focus much on developing the technical side of academics and unfortunately that means that core entrepreneurial qualities are being left out. A nation twice the size of the U.S. State of Texas and Africa’s second most populous country, Ethiopia has just as many problems as opportunities.

Through working at the Ethiopian Global Initiative and other Ethiopia-related endeavors, I have learned much from my peers: young Ethiopians who are poised to become the next generation of leaders. Much negativity has been said about Ethiopian youth; from not knowing enough to meddling in affairs that don’t regard them, Ethiopian youth are discouraged from getting involved in the political, social and economic discourse of their native country.

Young Ethiopians around the world are expressing their interest in getting involved in charting a new course for Ethiopia. This is a revolution; I’m convinced of it. On my recent trip in 2008 to Ethiopia I jokingly mentioned to some government officials that although the previous Ethiopian revolutions were fought with firearms, my generation’s revolution would be that of ideas and solutions, a revolution fought with pens and papers.

There needs to be much more of an emphasis on Ethiopian youth leadership, and the proper development and retention of that leadership from generation to generation. In a matter of one or two decades, Ethiopia’s current political, social and economic leaders will all be left for the history books and if the young Ethiopians of today are not prepared enough to chart the new course for Ethiopia, we will spend years, if not decades, trying to sort out a mess that could have been easily prevented.

From the public to the private sector, older Ethiopians should be promoting genuine leadership from the youth. Government in Ethiopia on all levels should be working with youth, particularly on policy pertaining education, employment, health and youth affairs. On the university and college campuses, Ethiopian students should be encouraged to be thoughtful and critical of the status quo and challenge one another to map a course for new solutions. In the economy, youth should be encouraged by all to create jobs and markets instead of waiting for the government to assign them positions. With a very high unemployment rate, both the public and private sectors should implement creative ideas for job creation.

Coursing a new leadership for Ethiopia will take time. Ethiopia is a work in progress, and with the right amount of initiative and support, youth should continue to ensure that the progress of the past becomes the successes of the future. The young Ethiopians that are being outsourced daily to foreign countries should be kept in Ethiopia and given positions of leadership to creatively chart a new future for Ethiopia.

Combining the social and intellectual capital of the country’s young generation will prove very useful particularly with economic prosperity. All it takes is the commitment to action and not words.

The author is the President of the Ethiopian Global Initiative, an innovative international organization that aims to be the hub of solutions to transform Ethiopia by combining the social and intellectual capital of students and young professionals. To get involved with the work of EGI please email action@ethgi.org and follow @ethgi on twitter.

Meet USCSE's Steering Committee

U.S. College Students for Ethiopia (USCSE), a project of the Ethiopian Global Initiative, formed its Steering Committee this weekend. The following members will be instrumental in launching the project in 2011. 

Ms. Yordanos Eyoel, 2010 a graduate of Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government, will lead as Project Manager. The Steering Committee is composed of members of various backgrounds and interests. 

Ms. Bethel D. Adefres
Student, B.A., Neuroscience
Wellesley College

Ms. Tsion D. Adefres
Student, B.A., Chemistry
Bryn Mawr College

Mr. Evan J. Anderson
Student, B.A., International Relations
American University

Ms. Rebecca Beauregard
Ethiopia Volunteer
United States Peace Corps

Ms. Yordanos Eyoel
M.P.P., Business and Government Policy
Harvard University, 2010

Ms. Nardos Ghebregziabher
Student, B.A, Economics, International Studies
University of Denver

Mr. Daniel Holobowicz
B.A., International Studies
University of North Texas, 2010

Mr. Bruck K. Kiros
Student, B.A., Economics, Black Studies
Amherst College

Ms. Danielle Nispel
Student, B.A., Political Science
American University

To join the Steering Committee, or for more information, please email action@ethgi.org.

EGI Announces New Logo

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

EGI Announces New Logo

Cambridge, Massachusetts, November 4, 2010 – The Ethiopian Global Initiative (EGI), an international nonprofit organization of students and young professionals committed to the transformation of Ethiopia, revealed its new logo this morning.

The need for a new logo with a simple color scheme and distinct look was evident to leaders at EGI when they decided to design a new logo earlier this year. The new logo presents a new brand image for EGI, a reflection of the organization’s aspiration to be the home for innovative global leaders.

“The Ethiopian Global Initiative aims to become a global hub of solutions for Ethiopia and its new brand image represents exactly that, the long-term goals of the organization,” said President Samuel Gebru at the logo’s launch.

The Ethiopian Global Initiative’s logo is designed to engage a new generation of innovative and dynamic student and young professional leaders. The color red was chosen as a symbol because of its integral part of the Ethiopian identity, the third color in the Ethiopian tricolor flag. The traditional Ethiopian “gojo” hut is used to represent a basic shelter for all humanity and for housing innovative and transformative ideas that will benefit Ethiopia’s development.

About the Ethiopian Global Initiative
The Ethiopian Global Initiative is an international nonprofit organization that combines and captures the social and intellectual capital of students and professionals for the transformation of Ethiopia through a new generation of socially responsible leaders. Working throughout the world, the Initiative serves as a catalyst for community-based projects to promote civic engagement and economic prosperity.

Contact: action@ethgi.org or +1-617-528-9434

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Celebrating Pan-Africanism through Emperor Haile Selassie

Ethiopian Global Initiative

November 2, 2010

On this day, November 2, 80 years ago in 1930, Haile Selassie was crowned Emperor of Ethiopia at the Cathedral of Saint George in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Ethiopia’s last Emperor, Haile Selassie, was born on July 23, 1892. He is generally regarded as the father of African unity and the face of the Pan-African movement. Emperor Haile Selassie reigned for 43 years and 314 days and was one of the world’s most well regarded leaders during his era. Loved by some, hated by others, Emperor Haile Selassie’s unflagging commitment to Africa’s independence movement and to strengthening the African diaspora should be recognized by all Ethiopians, Africans and people of African descent worldwide.

It has been 118 years since Teferi Mekonnen, His Majesty’s given name, was born in Eastern Ethiopia. He died on August 27, 1975 in unknown circumstances after being put under house arrest by the military-run Government of Ethiopia that reigned from 1974 until 1991. After the Emperor’s corpse was buried under his bathroom, his remains were excavated in 1991 when Northern rebels toppled Colonel Mengistu Hailemariam’s Government. In 2000, a formal funeral was given to Emperor Haile Selassie presided by the Patriarch of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, although the current Government of Ethiopia was reluctant to recognize the Emperor’s formal burial as a State Funeral.

The work of Marcus Garvey, Bob Marley, Kwame Nkrumah, Jomo Kenyatta and many others was inspired by the leadership and statesmanship exhibited by the “Lion of Judah.” Emperor Haile Selassie is also responsible for expanding the foreign bases of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church and promoted literacy and advancement within Ethiopia and the African continent. As a founding father of the Organization of African Unity, now African Union, he was a resounding pillar to the sovereignty of the continent.

The Ethiopian Global Initiative is going to work with the Crown Council of Ethiopia to organize a yearlong celebration of the legacy of Emperor Haile Selassie from July 23, 2011 until July 23, 2012, culminating in a celebration in Addis Ababa in honor of what would have been his 120th Birthday. EGI wants to celebrate the life and achievements of the Emperor as it relates to the Pan-African movement that he helped engineer. It is imperative that we work in collaboration with the Crown Council of Ethiopia and other Ethiopian cultural, youth and civic organizations both within Ethiopia and abroad so that the Emperor’s birthday celebration may be inclusive and appropriate.

One important way EGI will celebrate the legacy of Emperor Haile Selassie is by undertaking a global “Haile Selassie 120th Birthday Day of Service” that will include Ethiopians and non-Ethiopians giving back to their local communities. Whether it is cleaning a park, reading to children or cooking food for the homeless, the “Haile Selassie 120th Birthday Day of Service” would strive to celebrate the work of the Emperor. The service events would be held on July 23, 2011 simultaneously throughout the world. Participants would be able to post their pictures, photos and blog articles to a central website that would strive to showcase the legacy of the Emperor on the African diaspora. The “Haile Selassie 120th Birthday Day of Service” will launch a yearlong celebration of the Emperor’s life and achievements.

To get involved please email: info@ethgi.org or call +1-617-528-9434.

Travel Abroad Opportunity for American Students in Ethiopia

Planning is underway at the Ethiopian Global Initiative, an international organization of students and young professionals, for a new project that aims to send college students from the United States to Ethiopia. The project, U.S. College Students for Ethiopia, plans to provide volunteer and intern opportunities for American college students. Initially, it will be a summer opportunity but in the coming years the Ethiopian Global Initiative intends on providing semester and full year travel opportunities to Ethiopia.

Working with the leading public and private sector organizations in Ethiopia, U.S. College Students for Ethiopia will give American college students the unique opportunity of gaining practical experience in their academic field of interest while in Ethiopia. Students majoring in English Literature might volunteer to teach English at a rural primary school while those majoring in Economics might want to intern at an agency like the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, headquartered in Addis Ababa.

The Initiative’s management is busy assembling the Project Steering Committee for U.S. College Students for Ethiopia. The Committee, led by a Project Manager, will be responsible for the management, planning and implementation of the project. In the coming weeks the Project Steering Committee will be finalizing agreements with partner and receiving organizations in the United States and Ethiopia. A group of about 10-15 American college students will be selected in the spring to travel to Ethiopia in 2011 as a pilot project test for the Initiative.

Get Involved!

You can join the Project Steering Committee if you want to be involved in managing and overseeing an important international project by emailing the EGI Department of Internal Affairs at internalaffairs@ethgi.org. Getting involved in the Project Steering Committee is an important way for students and young professionals to build their experience in regards to project planning and management, teamwork and communication skills.

The project is also looking for 10-15 students to participate in the pilot project test for the summer of 2011. A formal application process does exist and further information will go out in the spring but students interested should indicate their interest by emailing the EGI Department of Operations at operations@ethgi.org.

For further questions you may email info@ethgi.org.

Celebrating the Ethiopian Global Initiative's Fourth Anniversary

Dear Friend,

October 22, 2010, is the Ethiopian Global Initiative’s fourth anniversary. This year marks a special transition to our organization. With our humble beginnings on Massachusetts Avenue in Cambridge as a 13-member group ranging from 6th graders to 12th graders, we have grown into an organization that has networks and members in North America, Europe and Africa.

The road has not always been straight for us. Considering the limited resources of our organization of students and young professionals, we have gone above and beyond our call of duty. The genuine goal to see Ethiopia develop is what the Initiative is about. Combining and capturing the social and intellectual capacity students and young professionals have for Ethiopia’s transformation is not merely a nicely worded mission statement. It is the governing principle of our lives.

Aside from contributing to Ethiopia’s transformation, the Ethiopian Global Initiative aspires to work with people globally that have an affiliation with Ethiopia—be it the Ethiopian diaspora or the “friends of Ethiopia.” Ethiopia’s friends include those who have served in Ethiopia as volunteers, adopted Ethiopian children and those who show affection towards Ethiopia. The Ethiopian Global Initiative wants to work as a catalyst for community engagement and socioeconomic development in our communities worldwide. This, of course, sounds nice but is also a lofty challenge.

We have seen that not having a central and strong Ethiopian community in Washington, D.C. has impacted us. The recent death of 27-year-old Ethiopian American Ali Mohammed was not an accident—it was a gross murder and should be called that. There are many Ethiopians in the diaspora that would have benefitted from our sense of unity. Our communities are impacted by imprisonment of young males, homelessness, lack of resources, mentorship and education, strong ethno-political animosity, amongst others.

The hopelessness that our community faces does not need to be there. While it is important to be concerned about matters in Ethiopia, we must take care of our communities abroad, too. Taking care of our communities does not mean rallying together when someone’s home tragically burns down or when someone is murdered by cowards, but by regularly showing love, appreciation and unity—andinet in Amharic.

The Ethiopian Global Initiative will be completing its overhaul on January 1, 2011, the beginning of our new fiscal year. The projects and management we plan to roll out is aimed to position the Initiative as a strong member of the communities it works for. In the coming weeks we will be releasing more and detailed information on the projects and programs that we will launch in 2011 and I encourage all to join our planning efforts.

On the occasion of the fourth anniversary of the Ethiopian Global Initiative, I personally extend an invitation to all Ethiopians to strengthen one another by committing to combine and capture their individual and collective strengths and resources with the Initiative. As for who is an Ethiopian, the answer is simply everyone as it is the cradle of mankind!

Respectfully yours,

Samuel M. Gebru

President

Youth and Entrepreneurship in the Ethiopian Society

By: Gedion Yitbarek

Challenges are common when executing a business venture with any level of sophistication. What makes it even worse is being young and introducing a new business idea to the society of a developing country. After years of faulty systems that degraded the confidence of the consumers and investors in their country, Ethiopians are doubtful about the possible success of newly emerging businesses that could potentially lead the local economy towards prosperity. The only way to rebuild this eroded confidence is when citizens, young or old, recognize the youth as a stakeholder. Involving the youth in decision makings and equipping them with the necessary leadership skills bring up a sustainable changes in the future generation. The old saying, “Ante lij neh minim atawukim” (“You are a kid and don’t know anything”) has no place in the 21st century and we must erase it from our society.

Thousands of businesses arise in Ethiopia every year with a significant amount of capital. A few reach to a peak where growth is almost stagnant afterwards. Thus, instead of allocating additional resources and funds to grow further sustainably, these businesses choose to stay at their peaks for a while until a competitor with a better approach joins the market and topples them. Eventually, when these companies can’t stay in competition anymore, they declare bankruptcy or sell the company at a low price. Nowadays, it’s rare to see companies in Ethiopia passing a second generation within the founding family. This is the result of excluding the youth in the process and not preparing them to take over in the future. As seen in most cases, when parents are ready to retire the business they own dies as their kids are not ready to take over. The son or daughter of a company owner is only expected to attend school and never worry about financial decisions that might impact him or her in the future. This problem also manifests itself in any status of the society among Ethiopians; parents do not involve the youth in major decision makings and this has major impact in establishing long term projects that require a high level of leadership and commitment.

It’s normal to see that short term money making techniques such as importing processed goods from other countries have taken over the Ethiopian economy. Surprisingly, not enough is exported to balance the currency. Our society has evolved into making fast money by importing goods as supposed to building a company to produce the items. It’s obvious that building a company needs a raw material, a skilled man power and not to forget a great leadership. By saying a great leadership, it’s not only referring to the CEO of the company but also every single individual in the hierarchy responsible for executing a specific task. Thus, the kind of leadership needed within the company to make it sustainable neither exists at the moment nor does it spark overnight among the individuals in the future; it is a long process that is rooted back to the early age of the professional workers. Unfortunately, Ethiopian schools do not have programs and clubs that develop leadership skills among students and this correlates to why we do not see great leaders of big companies. The society needs to understand that going to school and passing exams isn’t the only way to solve problems of any kind in the country; rather being able to cooperate with one another and executing ideas towards success is the major thing everyone should focus on to bring a major change.

The short life span of businesses in Ethiopia is an indication of not planning sustainable projects that can survive for decades within our society. Apparently, projects which have high rate of return in a short period of time are common business practices. The ones that take long and challenging process are, as mentioned above, imported from other countries. This approach impacts everyone especially the youth. A lesson taken from these companies by the youth is choosing short cut businesses as supposed to building a legacy that can pass to generations. The society is doubtful to welcome a sophisticated system which takes years to build because they already assume that it’s going to fail without even trying it. A professor at one of the major universities in the United States called this behavior, “an Induced Helplessness.” In her simple experiment she proved that a repeated failure in the past might discourage an individual to believe in the success of the future outcome, even if it might have a great chance. Therefore, the Induced Helplessness in our society can only be solved by giving more attention to the youth. Instead of exposing them to repeated discouraging failures, the society should give the youth a chance to try out new things and experiment on ideas with peers through different simulated clubs and school programs.

In my senior year at high school in Addis Ababa, I was invited to prepare a game for a carnival. I designed one which allowed 5 people play at once. The challenge wasn’t building the game; rather it was convincing my friends to help me promote it to the carnival kids. Only one agreed to stay and promote my game while the rest thought it was a joke wasting their time while they could promote the ones which were already making fast money at that moment. Afterwards, I called a few kids and gave them free sample coupons. I also told them they could get more free games if they convince their friends to play at my station. Honestly, whom do kids listen to more than adults? Anyways, those 5 kids brought 2 each and those 2 brought many more which later that day enabled me to make more money than the rest of the carnival games. This is the concept that lives inside me in my future business venues. Some might believe in me and help me grow while the rest abandon my effort thinking that it is a waste of time. But the truth is, as long as one strategizes and does things bravely, there is always a way to win a customer’s attention. As a youth, that specific day had impacted my life because I experienced what it meant to be a successful businessman for a day. Indeed, similar chances should be granted to all youth who want to be business owners; only then can they learn to make wise decisions, which will serve them for the rest of their lives.

We have responsibilities to build a community based on optimism, hard work, commitment and a great leadership. If these four things are embedded within the minds of the Ethiopia’s youth, a more sustainable and organized businesses can arise in the future. Adults should learn to comment 10 ways to make a certain idea grow and succeed than giving 100 reasons why it would fail. Even though any business idea has a risk and challenge, through optimism, hard work, commitment and great leadership one can overcome the problems and give a more durable solution. Of course in order to develop these mindsets, our society needs to involve the youth in decision makings because great leadership actually starts at home.

Gedion Yitbarek, an Engineering student at the University of Oklahoma, is Director of Operations at the Ethiopian Global Initiative and President and Founder at EthioCinema LLC

EGI to host Boston Orientation

08/03/2010 – The Ethiopian Global Initiative, an international nonprofit organization, is hosting a public orientation in the Boston area to further inform the public about its current and future endeavors. The orientation will be held on Saturday, August 14, 2010 at 2:00 pm until 4:00 pm at 45 Mount Auburn Street in Cambridge, MA. For more information and to RSVP please call EGI at 617-528-9434 or email info@ethusa.org. Refreshments will be provided. This event is free and open to anyone regardless of age, gender and nationality.

[Part 1] June 2010 Washington, D.C. Trip Report

EGI is the Awakening Call for Ethiopian Youth

By: Tesfaye G. Deboch

Friday, June 25, 2010

It wasn’t long ago that I read two articles on Ethiopian youth on Addis Fortune’s website. I was doing my daily routine of staying well-informed about issues affecting my country, surveying different topics on several websites. Both of the articles described the apathy of our generation regarding Ethiopian current affairs and politics. The first article entitled “Lack of Political Interest in EPRDF Generation Troubling” addresses the shortcomings of the EPRDF and opposition parties in their public debates that fail to engage and excite the Ethiopian youth. The second article entitled “The EPRDF Generation” gives a bird’s eye view of the philosophical and cultural topography of our generation. As I was reading these two articles I was filled with sadness and disappointment, but I also thought how wide and ready the fields are for those who have the passion and the calling to awaken the Ethiopian youth for an Ethiopian renaissance. And that call, my friends, is more real today than ever.

Cultural and economic renaissance of any society should start at the grassroots level. It takes place when men and women of good faith act to change the existing undesirable conditions through their own will–without being coerced by some kind of external force. We Ethiopians have the resources needed that can potentially make us a better nation – a nation free of poverty and internal strife. But, I dare say, that we lack the will to execute. We lack the initiation to step up and take a role as community leaders. Unless we stand and break this chain our greatest dreams will remain dreams only, and we will certainly remain on the wrong side of history.

We have misfortune–inherited from the past and acquired in the present-that needs to be removed and roads that need to be paved for the next generation. The solutions to our problems lie within us. Depending on our willingness to compromise and work hand-in-hand, we shall see our riddles solved and our misery will only have to be a part of our past.

So here comes a call, a call for community leadership and engagement. The call is not coming from a political party or religious organization. It does not have any agenda but our own – young Ethiopians. It is not influenced by propaganda but by our own craving to see a better and brighter tomorrow for our homeland.

If you are discomforted by what is going on, then join hundreds of young Ethiopians who have committed their time and energy for change. If you are disinterested in any Ethiopian matters, then our goal is to get you connected to passionate people whose visions may excite you and help you see the glory and satisfaction in serving the needy. And finally, if you are happy with the current state of affairs, think of your involvement as something to make it even better.

As I said above, all effective social change should start at the grassroots level. Ethiopian Global Initiative (EGI) is a grassroots level initiative that has the vision to unite Ethiopians and friends of Ethiopians alike. It is a stage for all who have been dreaming to see beyond the “coffee shop gossip” involvement in the current Ethiopian affairs. Your commitment and active participation makes a difference.

Tesfaye Girma Deboch earned his Bachelors of Science in Economics at the University of Wyoming and is currently a Doctor of Economics candidate at Washington State University. He is a member of the Ethiopian American Youth Initiative and permanently resides in Addis Ababa.

Dinner Talk

By: Samuel M. Gebru

Friday, June 25, 2010

I arrived in Washington, D.C. yesterday, June 24, 2010 in the late afternoon from Boston. After getting settled I was invited to attend a dinner at U Street’s Almaz Restaurant. What I thought was simply going to be a short dinner turned into a three-four hour intellectual exchange of ideas—and most importantly, solutions.

Joining me was a professor, a community organizer and three doctoral candidates. We discussed Africa—youth, leadership, economic growth, African Americans, politics, the United States of Africa and the 2010 EAYI Conference. The brilliant exchange of ideas further solidified my belief that we Africans need to work closely on matters of common interest, such as regional and continental economic growth and social responsibility.

The message out of the dinner was simple—we Ethiopians do not live on an island and therefore it is senseless to consider ourselves, at any rate, superior to our African and African American counterparts. The social and intellectual wealth of the “African World” needs to be combined to realize a sustainable future for the continent and its descendants. This can only be done through grassroots involvement and leadership. The best movement is the one that is born out of the people and that continues to survive off the blessings of the people.

The Ethiopian American Youth Initiative will have to continue the Pan-African movement because in reality we are all interdependent. This is a movement that further solidified the relations between Ethiopians and African Americans. This is also the same movement that moved the Ethiopian American Youth Initiative to select Howard University as the Presenting University of its first annual conference. It is critical that youth take the initiative to promote understanding, dialogue and knowledge. The learning of our collective and individual history will be paramount in realizing the African Dream.

Samuel M. Gebru is the President of the Ethiopian American Youth Initiative

Bezemed: Have Your Own Circle

By: Gedion Yitbarek

Friday, June 25, 2010

It’s undeniable truth that connection is the main ingredient of success. What struck me the most is realizing that we Ethiopians are weaker when it comes to having a business connection that can potentially build our future. We claim to have a tight social community better than the westerners; nevertheless, we are the poorest. Interestingly, I observed my environment to understand why we Ethiopians are poor financially while the rest of the world is living extravagantly. I realized that our community is not built on progressive interconnectedness but rather on a deterrent social network.

As a youth I remember spending hours with friends at one of the cafés in Addis talking about girls, brand new pair of shoes one of us was wearing and the rich people at school. Surprisingly, not a word about future business opportunities we could achieve together was mentioned. I did not even know their future ambitions; everyone was just living the moment. This is a deep rooted problem we all pass through as a youth in Ethiopia. Even worse, it follows us wherever we go unless some deviate from their nature to achieve different dreams or ambitions.

It’s true when they say the youth copies from their environment. If parents sit around coffee talking about nonsense stories, it will be foolish of us to expect the child sitting next to them to think about scientific inventions and developing career oriented connections in the future. Indeed Ethiopians help out each other when one is in trouble but we are still far behind when it comes to working together and prospering. There is no trick to alleviating this problem other than believing in each other and studying each other’s abilities; then follows interdependence for a common success. It’s unbelievable to see what friends can do if they are understood well to manifest their abilities.

There is a saying in Ethiopia when a person gets a highly competitive job through a connection: “bezemed new yegebaw.” People sometimes think that this happens only in Ethiopia. Unfortunately, that’s how the world operates. Even in the most prosperous country United States of America, President Obama filled up the staff at White House through his connections: “bezemed”. The president of my school was appointed by the former president: “bezemed.” This is how the world operates and we should all accept it and learn to build a career oriented connections. It will be imperative for us to stop copying our faulty predecessors who speak nonsense over coffee and learn to ask one another how we can be additions to our success.

Finding a job shortly after my arrival to the states was a miracle. Lack of experience in collaboration with difference in culture made it almost impossible for me to find a job for the first few months. Finally I took my brother’s advice and landed on a job through the people I know. Filling up an application and waiting for a response couldn’t take me anywhere. Rather asking people for a reference was the only way to find my first entry level job. This is the power of making a connection we all should not neglect.

All in all, besides the charitable work Ethiopian American Youth Initiative strives to accomplish, it also can be a medium for the future leaders of Ethiopia to get connected. The fact that we all commit ourselves in the process of prospering together signals our determination to attaching ourselves with the progressive interconnectedness of our society. We can grow through this organization and build our career while helping the unfortunate children and women suffering in Ethiopia. Let us spread the words to peers that we members of the EAYI support humanity while helping our ill social network heal.

Gedion Yitbarek is a Chemical Engineering major at the University of Oklahoma and is a member of the Ethiopian American Youth Initiative.

[VLOG] Max and Jonathan

EAYI: Engaging Myself Outside the Classroom

By: Maxwell MacCarthy

Monday, June 21, 2010

My name is Maxwell MacCarthy, and I recently joined EAYI as a Research Associate to help in the expansion and evolution of the organization this summer. With this being my first blog article, I would like to keep things simple and write about something I have thought a lot about recently: what EAYI means to me.

My freshman year at college was one of the most transformative experiences of my life. After transitioning from rural Vermont to the urban life at Boston University, I was overwhelmed by all the new resources and opportunities available right at my fingertips as part of my new life as a college student. For me, this meant reading any piece of writing I could get my hands on and being utterly engrossed by every class lecture I went to. The whole exotic notion of academia, scholarliness, and learning gripped me, and I felt like I had truly started living my life.

My spring 2009 semester, however, spent studying and working abroad in Niger as part of an international development studies program changed my perspective on what it meant to be a student. Going into the semester, I wanted to study abroad mostly as an excuse to travel, and the classes I would have to take there seemed mostly a formality – a break from academics and intellectual engagement if you will. And yet looking back, the entire 3 months was a learning experience, more so than any semester spent in Boston in fact. Working with a local microfinance organization and teaching basketball to young girls in Niger allowed me to step outside my comfort zone and not only learn so much about the country and the people but learn a lot about myself. Being in one of the poorest countries in the world also really makes you question a lot of your life views and values, and thus discussions with my fellow participants in the program allowed me to reevaluate a lot of things that I had taken for granted. It was an experience that cannot even compare to a semester spent at college.

Now after 4 years at Boston University and a few life experiences behind me, I have grown past this extreme notion of only connecting learning and academia. This summer, a time spent reflecting on the college experience as well as coinciding with my start at EAYI, I have finally begun to understand how much learning really occurs outside the classroom. Textbooks and articles are fine but limiting oneself to pages and computer screens misses the biggest picture. As crazy as it sounds, you do not need to lock yourself in a stale, air-conditioned library and pour over thousands of textbook pages to learn about some subject. Life is incredibly dynamic and diverse; all you need to do is engage it in a new way, like I did, to learn and foster personal growth.

For me then, this summer with EAYI is a lesson in applying myself outside the classroom. The Ethiopian American Youth Initiative allows me to not only engage the Boston-area community but also the wider Ethiopian community and EAYI members around the world as we work together toward common goals. EAYI means interacting with new people to expand my horizons; my first conversation with EAYI’s founder, Samuel Gebru, showed me the power of youth engagement and gave me a welcome reminder of how short life is. It is these life experiences that I hope to take away from my time at EAYI. As I transition out of college and into the real world, I hope to use EAYI as a way to move smoothly into the next chapter of my life and continue to expand beyond the walls of Boston University.

Maxwell MacCarthy is a graduate of Boston University and serves as a Research Associate of the Ethiopian American Youth Initiative.

Engaging Ethiopian Youth as Leaders and Change Agents

By: Mikias Wondyfraw

Sunday, June 20, 2010

“It takes more courage to examine darker corners of your own soul than it does for a solider to fight on the battlefield.” -William B. Yeats

We need youth leaders who are willing to examine darker corners of Ethiopia and themselves to keep our democratic experiment alive. Just like an intellectual, a leader needs to learn and know about the past. A courageous thinker and leader never forget their shared history and destiny.

Ethiopia’s population consists of young people, 41,000,000 to be exact. Many Ethiopians live in absolute poverty and suffer from chronic diseases. Economic inequality is also growing in fast pace in Ethiopia and this is creating a significant social chasm. Young people will be the change agents of Ethiopia. However, a leader needs to bring all Ethiopians together as one brotherhood and sisterhood. To be an Ethiopian leader, one has to be a wound-healer not a wound-hurter because our history has gone through rough times and a good leader should uphold the rule of law and not of revenge.

Leadership is action, not position. We have a lot of people who are willing to be “leaders,” but are not ready to act upon their values. We need youth leaders who are willing to question the foundation of ideas and assumptions that many Ethiopians live with, and are courageous enough to empower those who don't have hope in themselves or in the country’s future. A leader must empower and enlighten its followers and give them the resources and support to make a change in their life.

Ethiopia is home for the rich, poor, Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Oromo, Tigray, Garage, Amhara, young, and old. It is multicultural nation. In Ethiopia, many people are losing hope and faith in their nation. Although many Ethiopians are going abroad for a “better life,” people should have faith in their nation and the commitment to better their nation. I believe there is a growing nihilism among young people in Ethiopia, people think that there is no meaning living in Ethiopia or helping others. I heard this statement many times, “Ethiopia is not doing anything for me,” or, “Ethiopia is nothing.” First of all, Ethiopia is not our biological parent, is a space that accommodates 81,000,000 people. Ethiopia can become a powerful empire or the poorest country on earth. If young people in Ethiopia start sleepwalking, then our nation will start sleepwalking too. Sleepwalking is a symptom of nihilism. So will we be 81,000,000 dead corpuses with a soul or 81,000,000 visionary Ethiopians? It is up-to the young people to make a change in their nation.

The Ethiopian communities in the U.S. are growing in very fast pace. The question I want mention is, “who are we and why are we here?” and “what’s our role in America and in Ethiopia?” Ethiopian parents always talk about our identity in the new world and how can we bring two cultures together. It is a tough question to wrestle with because it is every immigrant’s problem when they come to the U.S. Ethiopians in the U.S. or in other parts of the world are a backbone of Ethiopia’s economy. Without their economical support, many Ethiopians would live in edge of starvation. We need to distinguish between our vocation and profession. Our vocation needs to be our life's work or calling. Our profession is our day's work. There is a lot of imitation in Ethiopian communities. People just want to fit in the U.S. way of life or copy others. The U.S. is not a perfect land and it needs to work on its democratic experiment too, however, we Ethiopians need muster the courage to think and speak against injustice anywhere. Our young people want to do whatever they can, so they can be accepted into the U.S. mainstream. Ralph W. Emerson used to say, “Imitation is suicidal.” Just like the Black National Anthem, we need to lift every voice up, including our own. We need to lift up young voices that are aligned with change and vision.

Finally, I want to mention one courageous young Ethiopian in our organization. Samuel Gebru, a brilliant Ethiopian visionary, founded the Ethiopian American Youth Initiative. In the organization’s current mission statement, we see the aim of, “[Creating] a broad-based network of Ethiopians in the United States, initiate and support youth-related efforts in Ethiopia, promote Ethiopia in a positive image…as well as to promote unity and tolerance amongst Ethiopians…” I want to say something about tolerance in the context of Ethiopians. In the 1920’s, Martin Buber, an Austrian born Jewish Philosopher, wrote a book called, I and Thou. He talks about eternal connection with another man. He raises an important point, which is that the “I-and-It” relationship is separateness and ignoring the existence of other people different from themselves. Ultimately, we are not clones of one another, but let’s find a common ground that will bring all Ethiopians into brotherhood and sisterhood.

Mikias Wondyfraw is a Communications Officer of the Ethiopian American Youth Initiative.