Kebede meets with children at an Ethiopian refugee camp
International Institute of Minnesota board member Shegitu Kebede is a refugee, mother, business owner and philanthropist. Kebede, an Ethiopian refugee herself, is currently visiting refugee camps in Ethiopia, identifying areas of greatest need for the youth living
there. Her background has given her a first-hand understanding of the need for education within the camps. Through her organization, Women at the Well International, Kebede has raised $20,000 to build a school in a United Nations refugee camp. The school will focus on teaching English and work skills. (A January 2014 Star Tribune article on Shegitu Kebede can be found here: http://www.startribune.com/business/238673751.html)
During her trip, Kebede has been struck by the sleeping conditions at the camps. Children are sleeping on the ground and do not have blankets during the cold nights. She wants to fund beds and blankets for 400 children during her time at that camp. Kebede is trying to raise $5,000 to provide mattresses and blankets for 400 refugee children living at the camp. Women at the Well International receives tax-deductible donation through the International Institute of Minnesota, which serves as the organization’s fiscal sponsor.