News Contributed by Samuel Getachew
Gezahegn Wordofa (PhD), an Ethiopian – Canadian and a resident of Stratford, ON helped inaugurate a library this morning in Dukem, Ethiopia in the presence of community elders and government officials.
Dukem is a 30 minutes drive from the capital and a city of his birth in Oromia Region.
Wordofa who funded the project told a gathering of about 200 people, his intention to also build a hospital within two years. “The first time I ever saw a computer in my life was in Russia, where I did my university studies and I had to walk long, to what was then Debre Zeiet for a chance to watch TV”, he said. “But today, in addition to the library, I will also be donating a flat screen TV, computers so that no child would have to walk far to watch soccer on TV and instead can spend those times to study”.
Gezahegn, an award winning activist, honored by Canada’s Governor General with the Caring Awards among others, also called on Ethiopia’s diaspora communities to find a reason to contribute to the development of Ethiopia. “We have a tremendous and beautiful nation. We have to contribute to make it even better”, he concluded.
Gezahegn Wordofa was once featured by ethiofidel.com as he received his award by Royal Bank of Canada as one of the top 25 immigrants in Canada