Why I Joined

As an Ethiopian who began my education in Ethiopia, I know firsthand how education can impact an individual's life journey.  I also have a deep appreciation for the special opportunities presented in a boarding school setting.  

I was among the last classes of students to attend the General Wingate School, a prestigious boarding school located in Addis Ababa. Wingate, which was founded in 1945, enrolled promising students (all boys) from across the country with a mix of scholarship and fee-paying schemes. From its founding until it was closed in 1977, Wingate was the only school of its kind in Ethiopia, producing high caliber talents for multiple generations.

At Wingate, my classmates and I had the opportunity for self-learning in an academically rigorous environment. By living and learning in the same place, we learned such values as independence, collaboration and discipline. It was also at Wingate that I had the opportunity to interact with classmates from different ethnic backgrounds.  When you are part of a school with a diverse group of people from different ethnicities, “Ethiopia” takes on a different and fuller meaning. 

My time at Wingate set the trajectory for my subsequent educational experiences. After high school, I was fortunate to attend university and then earned my PhD in the UK. I’ve since had a fulfilling career with a multinational corporation, living and working across four continents and making products that can improve the lives of the world’s consumers. Many Ethiopians (both inside and outside the country) who are pursuing successful careers in various sectors are living proof that education makes a difference. No matter one's social and economic background, a good education can pave the way for personal success and the chance to make meaningful contributions to society. 

Given this personal experience, you can imagine how quickly HMA’s vision as an academic center of excellence in a residential setting resonated with me when I first learned about it, and how easy it was for me to answer when I was approached to consider joining the Board of Directors—I accepted with great pleasure! 

Ethiopia, with its large and very young population, has huge potential. Through its investment in Ethiopia’s most promising students, I believe HMA could become an incredible source of growth for the country. HMA students will be pioneers and their generation’s catalysts for change.  As their influence is felt and catches fire across Ethiopia, these young people will be the drivers of Ethiopia’s eventual transformation. It's a privilege to contribute to Ethiopia’s future by helping to build a school that so deeply resonates with my past.