Help Hiwet Finish College

Our Story
Hello, and thank you for visiting our page.  I’m Ilana Nash, and I adopted my daughter May from Ethiopia.  I'm raising funds for her birth-mother, Hiwet, to go to college in Mekelle, Ethiopia.   Since February 2017, Hiwet has completed her first year of a 2-year business program, with straight A's.  Now she needs funds to pay for her final year. 

I went looking for Hiwet because I want my daughter to know her birth-mother one day.  With the help of a professional searcher, I located Hiwet last year and saw she was living in poverty, wanting to rise in life, but with no family to help her.

Our Goal
It's extremely tough for an uneducated young woman to find work in Ethiopia, but with a degree under her belt, she can rise out of poverty.  With this 2-year degree in Accounting from Sheba College, Hiwet can readily find work in a business or government office. 

My target-sum is everything Hiwet needs to complete her tuition, and pay for living expenses -- including check-ups with dentists and doctors, which she's rarely been able to do in the past.  

We've already made great progress, thanks to the kind donations received so far.  When I found Hiwet, she was paying $25 a month to live in a room with only a bed and a sink -- nothing else.  Now she has a tiny apartment of her own, with a bathroom and her first refrigerator.   

She is steadily earning scores of 100% on all her exams and tests, and she is very driven to finish her degree and make a good life for herself.  

How The Money Is Handled 
I withdraw these funds on Hiwet's behalf, and each month I send her money via Western Union, with receipts.   Hiwet also sends me receipts from the college to prove that she is paying tuition. 

We communicate by email, and she keeps me updated about all her progress.  She has no computer of her own, but she uses one at an internet cafe.  

Why I'm Doing This
More than anything, I'm doing this for my daughter's sake; I want her to someday know her birth-mother.  I'm also doing it because Hiwet's sacrifice -- giving up her baby because of poverty -- allowed me to have the greatest gift of my life.  I want to give something back to her.   Aside from the family connection, it also means a lot to me to help a young woman with real potential achieve her dreams and make a good life for herself.

This will mean the world to Hiwet, and someday, to my little girl as well.  All of us are deeply grateful for whatever help you can give, no matter how small.  Even a $15 donation makes a real difference -- it pays for Hiwet's electricity and water, for a month.  

Thank you very much for your time and help. 



Hiwet, holding a photo I sent of May.