Magnifying & Documenting Healthcare in Ethiopia

As a team of young millennials of Ethiopian and Eritrean descent, we find the question of our identity a mix between our American values and our East African traditions. We are first generation college students, minorities, and come from working class families. It is through our identities as Ethiopian-American and Eritrean-American that we found a community of students that carry the same traditions and culture in our Horn of Africa Student Association (HASA). HASA is a student organization advocating for unity and peace amongst UC Berkeley East Africans and will sponsor our goal to document the healthcare system in Ethiopia. Three students from HASA will go to Ethiopia and carry out this mission. Will you help us by making a gift today?

As first generation Americans and college students we have the privilege and access to stable health care and education. Unfortunately, that is not the case for many of our countrymen in Ethiopia as their healthcare system lacks in sustainability and accessibility. This issue of healthcare and poverty is not singular to Ethiopia, instead it is something that is occurring all over the continent of Africa but it has been overshadowed by politics and poverty. By bringing light to this issue, we can start taking steps toward alleviating the burden of what it means to be “sick” in a third-world country. We will then turn these narratives, that are so hardly heard, into a video documentary that will be showcased on all of our platforms, including a possible screening at UC Berkeley. We hope to use this opportunity to shine light on an issue that has been overlooked for decades, and possibly be the spark that ignites change.

Following the release of our documentary, we will be doing a second round of fundraising to raise money for hospital supplies being sent out to the specific hospitals and rehab centers we featured in our film. It is our way of starting the chain of change, and using our power, privilege, and knowledge as college students.  

Donating to our project will give a chance to Ethiopian and Eritrean first-generation students to go and make a difference in their homeland, but even more than that, it gives the chance to heal and save the lives of Ethiopians that have struggled far too long. The $4000 will help us cover the cost of traveling to Ethiopia, our stay, and documenting our trip. Overall, this project allows us to create change in the country that quite literally shaped us into the students and people that we are today. It is not a question of why donors should donate to our cause, but why donors should donate to save the lives of people, and honestly if someone holds the ability to save someone’s life, why not? This mission is no longer just about us, but instead for the millions of people that don’t have the means to tell their stories and receive the recognition and spotlight they rightfully deserve.

Please make a gift today to help us bring this project into reality. Thank you for your support.

If you have any questions, comments, or concerns please contact us through email at ethiopiahealthcare2018@gmail.com .