Help My Friend from Ethiopia Get His Master's
Donation protected
We adopted our son from Ethiopia (he is now a US MARINE!) after his biological parents both died in the AIDS epidemic that ravaged the country for decades. We knew he had some cousins and extended family but other than a few names we had little to no information about those he left behind.
About 4 years ago, one of our son’s biological cousins reached out to me on facebook hoping to make contact with him. We quickly were able to verify that he was in fact, our son’s biological cousin and learned that they had been searching for him since he left.
We were thrilled to meet and get to know the parts of his family he had left behind. In the years since we developed a nice relationship despite the thousands of miles between us.
One of his cousins, Samson, who has a Master’s Degree in Computer Programming reached out to us recently for help applying to a US University to get a degree in Cyber Security. This degree is not an option in Ethiopia and to get his Master’s Degree in Cyber Security he would have to be accepted in to a US or European University. Plus… A Master’s from a US University would allow him to get a much better job securing his future and the future of his family for generations to come.
It’s a big sacrifice for him to come to the US, temporarily leaving his wife and child behind.
Last week, Samson, much to his credit, was accepted into the Cyber Security and Digital Forensics Master’s Program at the State University of New York at Albany. It is a prestigious intensive Master’s Program and due to his stellar scholastic aptitude he got in.
Now comes the hard part. Paying for it. He had hoped to work, but the program is a one year intensive program and most likely he will have to focus on his studies and not have the time for a part-time job.
To change Samson’s life and give him the opportunity to make a better life for his immediate family and generations to come, we are hoping to raise the nearly $35,000 he needs to secure and have bonded so he can get a Visa, come to this country, take an English Intensive course and then get his Master’s degree.
He can live with us so as not to accrue unnecessary debt. He is very willing to work for a year in the US after getting his degree to pay anyone back who can help him, but we are hoping that you might find the ability to help us to help him.
Your contribution – of any amount- is greatly appreciated. We need to raise the nearly $35,000 FAST so he can get a VISA and get here by August 1st. Can you help make that happen? PLEASE??
Samson is very religious as most Ethiopians are and says every day he believes this is God’s plan for him and he needs to everything in his power to live up to that.
From Samson:
Dear Potential Donor:
My full name is Samson Teferi Admasu from Ethiopia. I am married not only is she my wife, but my also best friend, Bethelhem Alemu and we have a beautiful 7 month old daughter named Blan. My wife and I are currently working as system administrators.
I have loved computers from the moment we started learning introduction to computers for the first time. I remember there were 60 students in the class and two desktop computers for us to try, so I was one of the few students who get the opportunity to touch the mouse for 15 seconds, and from that moment I was hooked.
When I went to the university my first choice was IT and IT only. But here in Ethiopia the regulation is that you must fill a form of what studies that you wish to take and select five fields in order of your preference, and then the government is the one who assign you to any of the five fields you selected, that means even if you love one field you may be assigned other field in chance.
I was assigned to study that electrical engineering. So, I have to study for about 2 years because I didn’t have the finances to study IT. Finally with the help of my family I went to Admas University and graduated in information communication technology with a cumulative GPA of 3.64. Currently I am working as a system administrator in Ethiopian Toll roads enterprise for the last 6 years.
During my work as system administrator I realized that securing our network from any internal or external attack is a big challenge because we don’t have cyber security knowledge and no cyber security department either. Until now cyber security is not given in any of the universities here in Ethiopia.
I used to study by my own to have the basic knowledge of cyber security and it helped me in some level but due to the complexity and dynamic character of network traits having a professional and practical education is mandatory and these is why I am very excited to have been accepted to the State University of NY at Albany to study Cyber Security and Digital Forensics at the Masters level.
For the last six years I spent every single day praying and working for the opportunity to study in the US and my dream is closer than ever having been admitted to SUNY Albany.
But given the Wages in Ethiopia, even if I saved every Birr (Dollar) that I made for 30 years I wouldn’t be able to afford the tuition fee.
For me this opportunity is like a dream came true.
It will have a major impact on my work life and the life of my family.
In Ethiopia there are big challenges in finding a practical education, which creates a gap in our national capability in the field.
But if you create this opportunity of a lifetime for me I will become a fully capable professional who can contribute his part to keeping businesses and the government of Ethiopia safe for cyber attacks.
My career goals is to become a professional cyber security expert who can defend his organization from any internal or external attacks and by doing so controlling any bad or costly outcomes that come following the attack.
I’d like to mention that I have a daughter, whom I love dearly, and as a father I want to be the best provider I can be. I also want to be a good role model to her.
Finally, I want to say to you that in exchange for your financial support I promise to work hard and make you proud. Thank you for helping me to help myself, my family and my Country Ethiopia.
About 4 years ago, one of our son’s biological cousins reached out to me on facebook hoping to make contact with him. We quickly were able to verify that he was in fact, our son’s biological cousin and learned that they had been searching for him since he left.
We were thrilled to meet and get to know the parts of his family he had left behind. In the years since we developed a nice relationship despite the thousands of miles between us.
One of his cousins, Samson, who has a Master’s Degree in Computer Programming reached out to us recently for help applying to a US University to get a degree in Cyber Security. This degree is not an option in Ethiopia and to get his Master’s Degree in Cyber Security he would have to be accepted in to a US or European University. Plus… A Master’s from a US University would allow him to get a much better job securing his future and the future of his family for generations to come.
It’s a big sacrifice for him to come to the US, temporarily leaving his wife and child behind.
Last week, Samson, much to his credit, was accepted into the Cyber Security and Digital Forensics Master’s Program at the State University of New York at Albany. It is a prestigious intensive Master’s Program and due to his stellar scholastic aptitude he got in.
Now comes the hard part. Paying for it. He had hoped to work, but the program is a one year intensive program and most likely he will have to focus on his studies and not have the time for a part-time job.
To change Samson’s life and give him the opportunity to make a better life for his immediate family and generations to come, we are hoping to raise the nearly $35,000 he needs to secure and have bonded so he can get a Visa, come to this country, take an English Intensive course and then get his Master’s degree.
He can live with us so as not to accrue unnecessary debt. He is very willing to work for a year in the US after getting his degree to pay anyone back who can help him, but we are hoping that you might find the ability to help us to help him.
Your contribution – of any amount- is greatly appreciated. We need to raise the nearly $35,000 FAST so he can get a VISA and get here by August 1st. Can you help make that happen? PLEASE??
Samson is very religious as most Ethiopians are and says every day he believes this is God’s plan for him and he needs to everything in his power to live up to that.
From Samson:
Dear Potential Donor:
My full name is Samson Teferi Admasu from Ethiopia. I am married not only is she my wife, but my also best friend, Bethelhem Alemu and we have a beautiful 7 month old daughter named Blan. My wife and I are currently working as system administrators.
I have loved computers from the moment we started learning introduction to computers for the first time. I remember there were 60 students in the class and two desktop computers for us to try, so I was one of the few students who get the opportunity to touch the mouse for 15 seconds, and from that moment I was hooked.
When I went to the university my first choice was IT and IT only. But here in Ethiopia the regulation is that you must fill a form of what studies that you wish to take and select five fields in order of your preference, and then the government is the one who assign you to any of the five fields you selected, that means even if you love one field you may be assigned other field in chance.
I was assigned to study that electrical engineering. So, I have to study for about 2 years because I didn’t have the finances to study IT. Finally with the help of my family I went to Admas University and graduated in information communication technology with a cumulative GPA of 3.64. Currently I am working as a system administrator in Ethiopian Toll roads enterprise for the last 6 years.
During my work as system administrator I realized that securing our network from any internal or external attack is a big challenge because we don’t have cyber security knowledge and no cyber security department either. Until now cyber security is not given in any of the universities here in Ethiopia.
I used to study by my own to have the basic knowledge of cyber security and it helped me in some level but due to the complexity and dynamic character of network traits having a professional and practical education is mandatory and these is why I am very excited to have been accepted to the State University of NY at Albany to study Cyber Security and Digital Forensics at the Masters level.
For the last six years I spent every single day praying and working for the opportunity to study in the US and my dream is closer than ever having been admitted to SUNY Albany.
But given the Wages in Ethiopia, even if I saved every Birr (Dollar) that I made for 30 years I wouldn’t be able to afford the tuition fee.
For me this opportunity is like a dream came true.
It will have a major impact on my work life and the life of my family.
In Ethiopia there are big challenges in finding a practical education, which creates a gap in our national capability in the field.
But if you create this opportunity of a lifetime for me I will become a fully capable professional who can contribute his part to keeping businesses and the government of Ethiopia safe for cyber attacks.
My career goals is to become a professional cyber security expert who can defend his organization from any internal or external attacks and by doing so controlling any bad or costly outcomes that come following the attack.
I’d like to mention that I have a daughter, whom I love dearly, and as a father I want to be the best provider I can be. I also want to be a good role model to her.
Finally, I want to say to you that in exchange for your financial support I promise to work hard and make you proud. Thank you for helping me to help myself, my family and my Country Ethiopia.
Organizer
Chad Currin
Organizer
Schenectady, NY