SPEECH BY TEMESGHEN HAILU, PRESIDENT OF AHEAD

 

 

Honourable Senator Oliver and Mrs.Oliver

Members of the Diplomatic Corp

Distinguished Guests

Friends of AHEAD

Ladies and Gentlemen

 

Welcome to Addis Bazaar.

 

On behalf of AHEAD members, I am pleased to extend a very warm welcome to you on this, occasion of our fourth annual fund-raising bazaar. Your presence this evening and your continuing support over the years, attest to your belief in our objectives and your willingness to demonstrate that belief in a very practical way, which is by your donations.

 

At a time like this, it is appropriate for me as President, to remind those of you who already know , as well as others who might be hearing about AHEAD for the first time, as to how the idea of the organization originated, our objectives in founding it, our achievements thus far and our hopes and dreams for the future.

 

I begin with a personal note.

 

Five years ago, my family and I suffered a tragedy , the mere thought of which still touches me deeply. My younger sister, Selam Hailu, young, bright, beautiful and generous in her prime years and with a future full of promise, as we all understandably believed, died of cancer.

 

Our family asked why? I myself asked why? many times, over and over again. We passed the cycle of anger, pain, gut-wrenching grief, sorrow and sadness familiar to all who have experienced the loss of a family member, especially one cut down in the flower of youth.

 

But we didn’t stop there.

 

I didn’t stop there. I soon realized that it was time to move on, to turn the anger, pain, grief and sorrow into a positive force, to make a commitment to myself, my family, my immediate community and to other Ethiopians at home and abroad. I resolved to use whatever knowledge, talents or resources I had to fight, not only against cancer in particular, but also against disease, wherever it strikes in Ethiopia.

 

It was reassuring to discover soon afterwards that I was not dreaming alone. Close friends and colleagues like Ainalem Tebege, Dr.Yohannes Kebede,Tezazu Tebje, Yoseph Hailu, Haile Belai Azieb Teferi and Ibrahim Yimer came together to see what we could do in a small way for our country.

 

So AHEAD was born, with the first contribution of ten dollars from Ainalem in our first fund-raising drive, a garage sale!.Thus inspired, we opened a bank account with a generous donation of one hundred dollars from Dr. Joe Manyoni, Ainalem’s husband.

 

When we started AHEAD five years ago, we had nothing. We had no money, no organizational skill. No status and certainly no strategy.

 

But, we had two things:  A Vision and A Commitment.  When we came together, we knew the journey was going to be long and hard. But, it will not be impossible to make that journey. But, we were careful as to what we can do: Thus we have used a simple but enduring motto of A Book at a Time and a Student a Year.

 

 

Ever since then, we have been on the road to success.

 

We have been fortunate and very honoured to have Senator Donald Oliver consent to be our mentor and patron and , most notably, to raise the case of Ethiopia in the Senate of Canada.

 

 

What have we done in those first five years:

 

1.  Having acquired legal status as a charity organization, we established a Bursary Program which, so far, has benefitted 72 medical students from three universities, Jimma, Gondar and Addis Ababa. In fact, the first batch of 18 students who have received the AHEAD Bursary began their internship last year.

 

2.  We have sent more than 20,000 books and they were all carried either a book at a time, or a box at a time or a container at a time.

 

3.  Today, we are launching the equipment project by sending the first batch of 18 stethoscopes which we are on display here. We will send those every year.

 

3. With our partners, the Getachew Bolodia Foundation, we secured funding to establish the first resource centre in Jimma

 

4.   With the finance Assistance of IDRC we have just completed a research study that shows the role of the African Diaspora in Capacity Building Efforts

 

5. We have established partnerships whether it is in Ethiopia or here.

 

6. We have built a strong support base with friends, donors and volunteers who support our cause

 

 

7.We have also survived the growing pains. We have learned the hard way that you cannot rush, push or expedite social change.You cannot do what you want always. You can only do what you can.

 

Ladies and Gentlemen, permit me to become personal again and share with you what AHEAD has meant to me.

 

AHEAD is about education, the education of fellow Ethiopians back home in Ethiopia, far away from where I live. But strangely enough, it was me who learned the most, who got educated in the process, and for this, I am very thankful.

 

I have gained a new understanding about the meaning of commitment.

From my wife my best friend, on whose support I daily depend.

 

From Ainalem, who never allows a day to pass without thinking about strategies to promote AHEAD.

 

From Haile, who makes time during his every visit to Ethiopia to strengthen our partnership with our colleagues there.

 

From Azieb, who currently acts as our contact person, discussing initiatives with our representative Ato Workenh Assefa, in Addis Ababa.

 

From Ibrahim in spite of his busy carrier who makes time to do his share of the work load.

 

From Yohannes and Tezazu for helping AHEAD to shine.

 

All of these individuals give their time, talents, energy, knowledge and personal resources without counting the costs.

 

All with one common objective, that is, to provide an opportunity for our young people to develop their potential, to the highest level possible, to serve their people and their country.

 

 A practical investment for the future. The DIASPORA at work.

 

Their commitment inspires me with new energy, so it is still a pleasure and privilege for me to pledge my own commitment once again to AHEAD with even greater optimism than that

which captivated us four years ago.

 

Let me, in closing, express the debt of gratitude we owe to our co-sponsors.

 

Mr. Bouchard Francois owner and president of The Country Grocer

 

Mrs. Hutton Catherine Branch manager of Scotia Bank

 

Ms. Millet Christiane owner and director of  Interlanuge English School.

 

 

Let me also thank you, our donors, and our dedicated voluntaries for your presence, your support today and your continuing contribution as partners in this worthy cause. Our dream has become yours as well. Please accept our heartfelt appreciation.

                                                                                                                                   

Thank you.