I wrote those words in Held at a Distance, a memoir I published years ago, to describe how and why I finally decided to return to Ethiopia after having fled—that is, after having been pushed out—25 years earlier as a refugee following the 1974 revolution.  

Now, years later, together with my husband Jean Manas and in collaboration with a group of extraordinary colleagues, I’ve launched Ethiopia Education Initiatives (EEI), an organization making a major contribution to education in Ethiopia.

How did this come to be?  It certainly wasn’t easy to be a refugee, to start completely over in a new country (in central Minnesota to be precise). But for me, and for my sister and fellow board member Sossina Haile, education was key. We had access to excellent schools with generous scholarship programs that ensured that if we worked hard, we could take advantage of every opportunity.

Fast forward many years, and the connection to EEI is clear—it almost feels inevitable. I’ve returned to Ethiopia often since that first trip back, each time learning more about the country and each time feeling a greater sense of my own good fortune—somewhat paradoxically, given how we left—and a growing desire to “give back”, not only in response to crises, but in a long-term, impactful way.

Which meant education. Ethiopian children need quality education opportunities, and a quality education is the ultimate long-term investment for maximum long-term return, especially when made available to students of promise without regard to their ability to pay. 

So that is the story of from there to here, or more accurately from there to here to there. 

In January 2016, in conversations with Jean (also an immigrant and also a graduate of excellent schools) about New Year’s resolutions and New Year’s plans, the pieces fell into place, and the idea for EEI was conceived.

And what an idea it turned out to be! We entered Ethiopia in 2017, and within five years, built our ground-breaking first project, Haile-Manas Academy, from the ground up. In May 2024, we graduated our first class of extraordinary seniors, and those students, Ethiopia’s future leaders, are now thriving at colleges and universities in Ethiopia and around the world. You can learn more about Haile-Manas Academy here. 

As the story continues to unfold, we hope you’ll stay with us for the journey.

- Rebecca Haile,Co-founder and Executive Director, Ethiopia Education Initiatives