imagine1day is a growing, global community of people making passionate contributions to ensure every child in Ethiopia receives a quality education.

 

Hailu Hantal Gebru

In 10 years Hailu wants to be a doctor because, “healthy people are the
basic resource for development. Ethiopia needs development. So Ethiopia
needs healthy people.”

 

Name: Hailu Hantal Gebru

What his name means in Tigrigna (local language): “Power”

Gender: Male

Age: 14

Birthday: (DMY: 23/04/1989 EC)

Hometown: Beitbati, Tigray, Ethiopia

Former elementary school: Tsehafti Grade 1-8 Community School

Distance between hometown and nearest high school: 42 km

High school he is attending: Adigudom Senior Secondary School

Academic record: From Grade 3-8 Hailu was the top student in his class. His Grade 8 academic average was 96.5%.

Favorite subject(s): Biology and English

Extracurricular activities and leadership positions in Grade 8: Secretary of Student Parliament, member of Civics and Ethics Club.

Challenges encountered during elementary school: “When I was in Grade 5, 6 and 7 there was a severe drought in our area. Our family had no food, no money and so I had no notebooks or pens to use at school. I managed to purchase one notebook and wrote small and put all of my subjects in that one book. I made my own shoes out of goatskins. Today my mother is very sick so sometimes I will miss classes so that I can take care of her.”

Hailu is excited to go to high school because, “I will be free from working at my family’s house and therefore I will have more time to study. There will also be many students which means that classes will be more competitive and it will motivate me to work harder. I am very excited for a bigger and better library. I love reading reference books and dictionaries.”

Favorite quote: “An idle mind is the devil’s workshop.”

Role model: “My mother because she has protected me since I was a baby. She always wants what is best for me and does all that she can to make sure that I can have it.”

Favourite celeb: Muruts Yifter – Ethiopian runner.

Hobbies and interests: serving as a Deacon in the Orthodox Church.

Family: “I have no father because he passed away many years ago. I am the third child in our family out of a total of nine children. I live with my brother because my mother has moved to a different area. I support myself by farming a small piece of land with my brother.”

Brother’s skills for potential income generation activities: animal fattening, raising poultry, beekeeping.

What his brother thinks about him having the opportunity to go to high school: “I saw how well a person can do if they use their education by watching our oldest brother go to Mekelle to study Engineering. I want the same for Hailu because he is intelligent. He is a role model for the rest of our family and inspires us to learn and be better.”

What his homeroom teacher, Kiday, is saying about him: “Hailu is an excellent, holistically clever student. He is competent and patient. He is a leader in our school and in his home. He is the model student in our school and we are very proud of him. We look forward to following him as he progresses through high school.”