City of Harar Former Students and Teachers Association (CHFSTA)
IMMEDIATE GOAL: City of Harar Former Students and Teachers Association in Seattle held its monthly meeting on March 27,1999. Its members exchanged reports and task accomplishment that was assigned to each at the previous meeting. Background The effort to form this committee started on December 1999 and held its first meeting on January 1999. During the last four months, we contacted many former Harer students all over the world, from London to Rome and Addis Ababa and from Hong Kong to Canada. We broadcast on EEDN and received responses from many. One of the responses was from Lemma Getachew who later volunteered to build our home page with his younger brother Yared Getachew. We would like to take this opportunity to thank Lemma and Yared Getachew for constructing the web page and engaged in organizing yeharer lijotch, Ato Abate Kassa for helping in editing the History and Goal section of the home page, Fikru Ayele and Belete Gebere for contributing the pictures, and all who participated in any way for the success of this home page. Report from the March 27 meeting: The state of Washington recognized our association and provided us a certificate that will allow us to function as nonprofit organization in the state of Washington. We rented a mailbox and soon we will have bank account number. We made our first contact with the Former Medahene-Alem students Association in Ethiopia through a friend. Members reported their research on how to acquire books, lab equipment, and copiers. A number of humanitarian organizations were contacted and the response was encouraging. Initially we plan to ship one full container/cargo of school material. The materials will be gathered from local schools (at the end of the school year, they sell them with cheap price or donate them). We believe some of the materials will be acquired free. The shipment will cost $3000.00 -- $5000.00. We also discussed on how to bring all former Harar students and teachers to join us in our effort. It was suggested to form a focal point in major areas such as one in DC one in Toronto area and another in Europe. We urge everybody to think about forming a group or at least discuss to find other ways to participate. We know that there are a lot Harar students and teachers in some of the major cities. We ask some volunteers to form a model organization like we have here in Seattle. At the present time more than 100 people had responded through our Home page. The figures are encouraging. Almost more than 700 people visited our site. It seems some of our visitors tend to forget to leave their e-mail address. We want to remind all Alumni and Teachers to leave your e-mail after visiting the site. Soon, we will have a fund rasing event by selling T-shirts, mugs and hats. The money will be used to ship the material we are planing to acquire from Seattle Area. If you have any relevant material you have in your hand or think of ideas that will help us get any school supply, you are more than welcome to send us through our mail box. We are planing to have a get together in Dallas, Fourth of July weekend. We will notify you in advance where to meet and the plan. Finally we urge all alumni and friends to actively participate. Please, think of your pledge and commitment to this ideas as making a difference in the lives of many others. Reported by Yohannes Demissie OUR MAIL BOX: CHFSTA P.O.BOX 33955 Seattle, WA 98133-0955 or e-mail us @ harar_on_ web@yahoo.com Chairman ---------- Belete Gebre Vice Chairman ---- Seifu Gizaw Secretary ----------- Fikru Ayele Treasurer ---------- Fantu Chegego Public Relation ---- Yohannes Demissie Webmasters -------- Yared and Lemma Getachew Feel free to e-mail us.
