As children all head back to school after a beautiful summer, Lelt celebrates two of our top students, Beti and Rutina! These bright young women are the recipients of our two specialized college awards, the Erika Klein and the Emily Giard Cabrera Scholarships.
BETI YIRDAW
Meet this year’s Erika Klein Scholarship recipient, Beti Yirdaw! Beti was born on the outskirts of Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa, where she lived with her parents and older brother. When she was just 4 years old, her father passed away, and her brother brought Beti to the city so that he could work and enroll her in school. As they grew older, her brother got married, and tensions arose between Beti and his wife. The situation became so uncomfortable that Beti ran away at age 12. She was found by the police and placed in Kechene Orphanage in northern Addis Ababa.
Beti started her education in the 3rd grade and persevered through her studies, completing high school while still living at the orphanage. She also began working as a waitress to save money for college. Over the years, Beti discovered her passion for cooking and dreamed of becoming a chef, catering weddings and working in the hotel and tourism industry. After graduating from high school, she is now pursuing a diploma in culinary arts at Lion Ethiopia Tourism Hotel and Business College, focusing on food and beverage studies.
Beti remains dedicated to her goal of becoming a lead chef at an international hotel in Ethiopia. The Lelt Foundation is proud to support Beti’s education through the Klein Scholarship!
RUTINA TASEW
We are delighted to announce Rutina Tasew as the 2024 recipient of the Emily Giard Cabrera Memorial Scholarship! Rutina is currently studying nursing at Unity University in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. She expressed her heartfelt gratitude for the 4-year scholarship, saying, “Thank you for this opportunity because without it, I’m not sure I would be able to attend college.
"When I was 7, my aunt took me from my parents’ home in the countryside because there was no school in my village. She promised to bring me to Addis Ababa for an education. I dreamed of becoming a doctor, so I was excited about attending school. However, when we arrived at her house, she made me clean and cook for her three children. I wasn’t treated like family but more like a servant. I was very young and didn’t know the neighborhood, and one day, when I left the house to shop for food, I got lost. I was scared and crying on the street when the police found me and took me to Kechene Girls’ Orphanage in the northern part of the city. I spent the rest of my childhood there.”
Rutina is now pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Nursing at Unity University, focusing on chemistry and biology. She dreams of opening a small clinic in her hometown to support her community. The Lelt Foundation is proud to honor Rutina with the Emily Giard Cabrera Memorial Scholarship as she works towards her goals.
To read more about Lelt's scholars, please visit our scholarship program page.
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