Sarah Andebrhan — a fourth-year in international studies and strategic communication, as well as ESA’s founding outreach chair — and Dr. Berhe Habte-Giorgis, a board member for Haben-Eri, hug on stage at the organization’s culture night. Credit: Kyrie Thomas | Campus LTV Producer
Ohio State’s Eritrean Student Association is planning to raise at least $1,000 through events, donations and fundraising efforts in support of Eritreans with disabilities in the spring semester.
Eritrea — a country within East Africa — is a relatively new nation, officially gaining independence in 1993, according to the Eritrean Embassy’s website.
According to the Repository on Disability Rights in Africa, “physical disabilities and mental illnesses caused by war and landmines are the most prevalent form of disability in Eritrea,” as the country experienced 30 years of conflict before it became autonomous.
When ESA held its first-ever Culture Night event Jan. 25, the organization announced its philanthropic project for the year: partnering with the nonprofit organization Haben-Eri.
Based in Atlanta, Georgia, Haben-Eri is a nonprofit dedicated to empowering Eritreans with disabilities by connecting them to financial and professional resources, according to its website.
Soliana Tadesse — a fourth-year in industrial and systems engineering and vice president of ESA — said Haben-Eri’s missions closely align with those of ESA, which is what ultimately drew the student organization to the partnership.
“We try to focus on newer orgs, like this one, which was founded in 2023,” Tadesse said. “So, we went back to [Haben-Eri] because, just like us, they’re a new org, and we thought it was an amazing, amazing thing that they’re doing.”
Though many Eritrean citizens have access to medical and health services similar to those in the United States, Tadesse said remote parts of the country often lack these resources.
“We have ambulances here, but that’s not so much a thing there,” Tadesse said. “You can’t really find that, especially in areas that are very far from the city. More serious health concerns wouldn’t be able to be treated in a fast amount of time, or in a time that would be able to save their life or treat them even in a little.”
Sarah Andebrhan — a fourth-year in international studies and strategic communication, as well as ESA’s founding outreach chair — said the organization plans to raise a minimum of $1,000 in partnership with the nonprofit.
This number was chosen after the group’s 2024 fundraiser, geared toward raising money for Eritrean orphans and individuals with visual impairments, exceeded its goal of $1,000 and raised around $1,500.
“Last year, we organized bake sales, food sales, a kickball tournament and things like that, and we were able to exceed our goals,” Andebrhan said. “So this semester, we’ll be organizing similar events.”
Despite being a fairly new student organization, ESA’s outreach and philanthropy were some of the group’s founding tenets. To further these principles, Tadesse said members have prioritized finding additional ways to support their community.
“It’s whatever we can do to help; it’s part of our culture,” Tadesse said. “Honestly, there was never any hesitancy in that. It was like, ‘It’s a given. Yeah, we have to do this.’”
Andebrhan said ESA hopes these projects will inspire other Ohio State students and organizations to take a similar approach by recognizing their privilege and using it to help others.
“As first-generation American college students, we recognize the platform and privilege we have with the access to education and many on-campus resources,” Anderbrhan said. ”I think it’s important to recognize you can do similar things in your own organization. Making a difference is such a fulfilling thing, even if it’s not required.”
Donation details, along with more information about ESA, can be found on the organization’s Instagram page.
