Selam Menberu was born in Karakore, Ethiopia, 22 years ago. She grew up in a small 2-room home with her four siblings and parents. Selam was very close to her older brother Tadesse, who studied diligently and dreamt of becoming an engineer. His drive and determination inspired Selam to work hard in school and focus on her future.
Selam’s mother, Eta, is a pillar of strength and support. Selam's father struggled with alcoholism, and Eta stepped in and became the sole supporter of her five children. She took on the difficult role of working as a day laborer to provide for her family. Eta's resilience and dedication left a profound impact on Selam. Even as her family struggled with a lack of food security, Selam and her siblings continued to work hard in school and take good care of each other.
Twelve years ago, Eta applied for assistance with the local Ethiopian governmental office, and their family was placed in Lelt’s programs. Ten-year-old Selam received a full Lelt scholarship to attend a local private school and came to our community center daily for lunch and after-school tutoring. She said, "The meals I received at Lelt’s center were so crucial. We weren’t eating regularly at home, making it difficult to focus on my schoolwork. Those daily meals were absolutely necessary for me to meet the higher academic standards at my new private school.” Her family received monthly household rations and food, so they were eating regularly at home.
In ninth grade, Selam discovered wildlife filmmaker Aziz Ahmed and fell in love with the art of photography. She researched photographic and cinematic arts as a possible career path. Selam also greatly admired Ethiopian influencer Danayit Mekibeb, a strong female mentor who makes her statement in social media through portrait photography. As Selam’s knowledge of photographic arts expanded through her high school years, she studied hard to earn a scholarship to attend an arts college where she could study photography. Selam just received her certificate in photography and videography from TOM Photography Institute. She applied for a position at a portrait studio in Addis Ababa, and has started working as a photographer and photo editor. She said, “I am fortunate to have received scholarships through Lelt’s educational programs over the years. Without that help, I would never have been able to follow my dream of majoring in the arts. Now that I have become a professional photographer, all my hard work has paid off, and I hope that my career helps support my family and lets my mother rest in retirement after so many years of difficult work to support me and my siblings."
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