Re: Hakim-92 Silver Jubilee Celebration first part
Daniel Zemenfes
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Dejene Kebede
I responded late because I am still on mission in one of the remote refugee locations. This is so invigorating for the re-union and its sustainability. It is an indication that there is also potential to do more
Thank you Aklilu and friends for taking the great initiative for the great work. You deserve all the appreciations from all of us.
All the best wishes.
Aklilu Yishak
Thank you Dejene, Daniel, Tibe, Yoseph, Abraham, Abate and all who still keep it alive!!! Let's keep up the momentum....
Many are having difficulty opening the large file and here is the text separately from the big file ...
Preface:
Our batch was lucky in many ways but had its challenges as well. Right before we were to join the university, we missed the "Sefera Zemecha" when university students were sent to build houses in the remote areas in Gambela, Metekel, etc. As a result, we had to start our pre-med much later than usual.
We were also lucky to dodge a "military training" during our internship when all university students were forced to go to a camp or else risk banning from completing their education. The fact that internship was vaguely defined as to whether it was an employment or just part of the medical education probably saved us a great deal of hardship during those turbulent years.
Nonetheless we did not escape much of the uncertainty that followed the government change during our internship & when we had to decide where to practice after graduation. It's safe to say many of us have not seen each other after graduation.
Not only were we scattered across the country but also across the globe in the Americas, Europe, other African countries, etc. to practice medicine & pursue post graduate studies.
Almost a third of our graduates were living in N America by the mid-2000s but there was no organized get-together until 2009 when Abeba came to do her attachment. It was at this point while calling many friends on the phone that a get-together for our batch was conceived. However, it was not until 2010 when many friends responded to the call for get together that we saw the largest turnout for folks living in N America. It was also at this get-together that we decided to do the Silver Jubilee celebration back home in Ethiopia both for the diaspora & home group together.
Since then we had yearly get-togethers in N America & many more back home in Addis. In 2010 our friend Tamiru unexpectedly departed from us & there was another news our friend Asfaw was seriously ill. It was also at this occasion that our batch stepped up to the plate & raised funds to the memorial of Tamiru's & also to help for Asfaw's overseas treatment.
Unlike many universities in the west, we in Ethiopia are not lucky to have an alumni association for our alma matter or role models for organized reunions helping our alma matter. It's our sincere hope our reunions would contribute, however in a small way, to inspire our juniors to make it a tradition to help their alma matter & do a much bigger celebration with lofty ideas in the future.
So, it was in this spirit that our home group rose to the occasion & organized an excellent itinerary for our Silver Jubilee Celebration encompassing lectures & procedures as well as re-tracking our routes from our medical school to the rural attachment areas. All credit goes to all who participated & contributed but a special thanks & kudos is due to Abdu, Abeba, Abraham, Eskinder, Daniel, Yoseph, Hailu, etc. who took the driver's seat in organizing.....
Dejene has proposed that we do a get together that includes both the home & diaspora group every five years rather than wait for another 25 years & it was unanimously approved.
Estifanos who lives in Switzerland has also agreed to host a get-together in Europe & will certainly take him up on that.
Our Silver Jubilee celebration was a milestone no less than our graduation & we're glad we celebrated it in such a memorable way. Our hope is to inspire & aspire our juniors in our medical school & other universities & to pass the baton to them so that they will do much greater in the future....
May God bless us with many many more years of healthy life & reunions!!!
Aklilu Ashagrie Yishak, MD, MPH
Silver Jubilee Celebration:
After some of us celebrated "Genna" with families & friends here back home in Addis, we started the week by giving lectures both at Timur Anbessa & St Paul's Hospital starting on Jan 9, 2017.
Mine was on management of Immunosuppression in the presence of infection & malignancy in renal transplant patients to the Renal Fellows & Transplant surgery fellows in St Paul Hospital on Jan 9, 2017. For your information St Paul hospital, has done so far more than 24 living renal transplants in collaboration with University of Michigan team. It's the only center in the country where renal transplantation is offered as a mode of treatment to End Stage Renal Disease patients besides dialysis.
Edsa gave a talk & did procedure the next day on Jan 10, 2017 at St Paul
I gave also a talk on basics of Kidney Disease & Kidney Transplantation in Tikure Aneesa to the Internal Medicine Residents on Jan 11, 2017.
Pic
Edsa also gave a lecture & did procedure on Jan 12, 2017 at Tikure Aneesa Hospital in the Radiology Department.
A. Dinner at Ghion on Jan 11, 2017.
Ghion Hotel was/is near & dear to many of us who were involved in organizing our graduation bulletin & graduation party a quarter a century ago. Thanks to the organizing committee, it was also here that it was decided to kick off the Silver Jubilee Celebration.
One by one everybody started to fill up the traditional hall at Ghion & additional chairs & tables had to be added to the original reservation for a party of 15 people. It was a genuine rapturous welcome to some of our class mates we've not seen more than a couple decades ago. It was not easily for late comers to recognize everybody there when there were so many faces not seen in quite a while.
We mingled & caught up a bit among each other. It was great to see everybody doing so well in every field of medicine. Not sure if anyone is a grandfather or grandmother yet but it was great to know many have raised successful adult children who followed in their parent's foot step to join medical schools.
Many thanks to all who made it a successful get-together but a special thank you again to Abdu, Abeba, Abraham, Yoseph, Daniel, etc who worked extra hard to coordinate the events in Addis, Zeway & Hawassa.
Abraham gave an itinerary
Dejene suggested that we do our get-together every 5 years rather than wait for another 25 years & was unanimously approved.
B. Trip to Zeway & Hawassa
We all got together at 9 am @ Lalibela in front of Stadium on Friday Jan 13. This as some of you know is rumored to be the new "rendezvous" for some of our class mates (you know who you're:) & you may catch them here after hours if you happen to have difficulty contacting them otherwise. Not sure why Genene was tardy showing at 10:30 but wonder if he was ......
It was great to see Eske showing up with the "agelgel" vegan food for lunch
I think it was Edsa's suggestion to start the trip by re-tracking our route starting from Tikure Anbessa & what a great idea it was. It's hard to recognize Tikure Anbessa Hospital nowadays from when we were medical students with every space in the compound filled with new buildings.
Something you never get used to these days when you travel to Ethiopia in the major cities street is the heavy traffic of people. In the same way in the hospitals, the number of patients & care givers in every floor & the rundown old buildings with cleanliness not in par with a hospital is hard to get used to coming from outside the country. Tikure Anbessa was not different but it was heartwarming to see the brand new Medical Library with a similar standard found in the West.
A special memory was rekindled when we visited the "cafe" & Lounge in our dormitory. It looks so small......
Then we headed to Debrezeit but not before we passed by Abate's new sprawling 8th floor building for a hospital in the center of Addis around Olompia. Some body (?Genene) commented Guyton pays:).....
Indeed, it does & we're glad to see so lucrative practices for many of our batches including for Abate's, Abdu's, Yoseph's etc. Wish them & all much more success......
We picked Asfaw from his clinic in Debrezeit
We reminisced & all the jokes were flowing nonstop in the Bus on our route to Zeway & Hawassa.
we ate our "Agelgel" lunch at the strawberry cafe just outside Mojjo.
Zeway stay:
Josi arrived from Hawassa to Zeway early & arranged our hotel in Haile Resort. The reception was splendid with each given beautiful rose & a glass of fresh cold juice. Not long after we got checked in to our rooms & after a beer or two in the garden where juicy jokes were told before our girls joined in, we made a trip to our previous Zeway dormitory. Unlike Hawassa, Zeway has not changed much significantly nor was the previous dormitory in Zeway albeit a few more rooms for women & a couple brand new buildings not sure what for.
There were a few male & female students in the campus whom we chatted with & the girls made a quick peek at the female dormitory.
It was here while reminiscing about early medical school that someone dropped a bombshell that a guy from our batch did not make it beyond the first year as he was struck with sight love with one of our three girls in the batch. It was the first time that I heard the story & it certainly spooked Edsa.... It has a happy ending though that the guy left for Europe becoming an engineer eventually & hopefully a new love life as well.....
A special barbecue dinner with camp fire was prepared exclusively for our group at the garden in the Haile Resort. With the Dj blaring all kind of music & everybody dancing to the tune, boy did we've a night!...With the drinks flowing, it was a nonstop laughter & good time... We had a blast & this was undoubtedly one of the highlights of the trip...
This resort is so nice it would not be surprising if Zeway turns out to be a competitive weekend destination just like Sodere, Langano, etc.
It was surprisingly to see so many at the Gym & SPA in the morning at Haile Resort after staying late & a few drinks. The indefatigable Abdu probably won the race....
We had a hearty breakfast at the resort & then we were off in a boat trip to Zeway Lake which is home to different birds, hippopotamus, etc.
Incidentally we were told the Zeway lake has many islands one of which happened to have sheltered the Ark of Covenant from Axum during the reign of Yodit the "goodit". It does however take more preparation to go to that specific island & we did not make it there. We appreciated the view, the different birds, hippopotamus & certainly a boat ride by Abdu:)..
On Saturday noon, we headed to Hawassa but not before we paid a visit to the Tamiru's memorial ward in Kuyera Hospital. Many of us were emotional to see Tamiru's picture outside the Obstetrics ward where he worked but also proud the batch could do something to keep his memory up by donating some of the beds & equipment’s in the ward.
Abraham counts 11 of our batch who passed away so far including Abebe & Zenu who passed away recently. We certainly are lucky & blessed to be here...
We ate our lunch in Hawassa at a"Kurt bet" Restaurant where some of us chickened & declined to eat the delicious "Kurt" & stuck to the cooked meals...
We checked in at our hotel in Lewi resort in the afternoon & after a brief rest were back to the bustling city of Hawassa. For those of you who have not been to Hawassa recently you'll be awe struck at the pace the city is changing. Undoubtedly some of its boulevards with their palm trees & wide sidewalks are the best in the country & even better than the ones in Addis...
Josi made our dinner reservation at the South Star International Hotel & his family including his wife Mahlet, his daughter Hanna, a medical student & his son Kudus graced us with their presence as well. It was here while having a good time that Abeba stood up & made a big speech surprising me with a plaque award from our batch. While I'm appreciative of the gesture & honored to receive such a gift, it does belong to all of us & am proud of you all who took the time from your family & practice to make this event such a wonderful & fun time...
We had a serious discussion as to what needs to be done with the fund to be raised & future events. There were different suggestions but can be summarized as follows:
1. Since we're celebrating our Silver Jubilee, let's give the donation to the medical school even though we know the medical school has many hundreds of millions birr budget as a gesture of good will
2. Let's donate to the needy such as cancer patients & care givers, etc. who would appreciate the help more than the medical school
The compromise reached was that we do not have to put all our eggs in one bucket & may allocate some fund to the the medical school, some to needy patients, their care givers or similar & also to keep some fund for emergencies & help with future projects, etc.
One of the idea accepted by most is to donate to the medical school cafe for chairs & tables while having our graduation pics along with current pics posted at the cafe wall as other batches have done it & we witnessed it during our tour of the cafe. Five members from Addis were nominated to coordinate these activities:
1. Dr Abdu Ibrahim
2. Dr Daniel Zemenfes
3. Dr Abeba T/Giorgis
4. Dr Eskinder Kebede
5. Dr Abate Bane
The following were pledged during that dinner:
1. Dr Debebe Fikremariam........ 10,000 Birr
2. Dr Estifanos Biru.....................10,000 Birr
3. Dr Solomon Admasu................5,000 Birr
4. Dr Abate Bane..........................5,000 Birr
5. Prof Abraham H/Amlak.............5,000 Birr
6. Dr Daniel Zemenfes ..................5,000 Birr
7. Dr Abeba T/Giorgis.....................5,000 Birr
8. Dr Abdu Ibrahim.........................10,000 Birr
9. Dr Eskinder Kebede....................5,000 Birr
10. Dr Melaku Abraha......................5,000 Birr
11. Dr Asfaw Fekensa.......................5,000 Birr
12. Dr Shifa Lulega............................5,000 Birr
13. Dr Yoseph Worku........................5,000 Birr
14. Dr Mohammed Ibrahim................5,000 Birr
15. Dr Genene Mammo......................5,000 Birr
Total..........…....................................90,000 Birr
In USD
16. Dr Edsa Negussie.......................500 USD
17. Dr Elisabeth Fasika......................500 USD
18. Dr Aklilu Ashagrie Yishak............500 USD
19. Dr Woldecherkos Abeba.............500 USD
20. Dr Teshome Geleta.....................300 USD
Total 2300 USD *27=.........................62,100 Birr
Grand Total........................................152,100 Birr
As of two days ago more than 72,000 Birr was deposited as informed by Daniel..
All including those who could not make it to the celebration can also contribute & please contact me or Abdu if you need help.
Please deposit to the following account:
Dr Tibebu Alemayehu Weyessa
Dr Daniel Zemenfes Ashebir
Dr ABDU Ibrahim Asfaw
S/A 32848 Abyssinia Bank Fulweha Branch
Most people retired to their hotel after dinner that night but few of us opted to sample the nightlife in Hawassa. Hawassa certainly has a vibrant nightlife & places were packed to the full. We were surprised to see so many young people & affording to having liquor drinks in bottles & not glasses while just one bottle for our group costed us more than 4000 Birr.....
Lewi Resort was great & was refreshing to be awakened by monkeys playing in the roof & knocking in your window trying to get in to your room...
Breakfast was also great at this resort & pleasantly surprised at the varieties offered in the buffet as part of your stay in the resorts these days.
We toured the city & drove by the referral hospital where the Hawassa Medical school is located before stopping by Josi's Belen Eye care. Josi, we are so proud of your entrepreneurship & success helping your people...
Mehal, Jos's wife hosted the whole group in the eye center & surprised us with the 25th anniversary cake & coffee ceremony....
On our way in to the eye care compound, there is an eye picture logo indicating it's horizontal opening to the mind & soul...
Abdu was asked what his logo would be for his upcoming Obstetrics Hospital in the British Embassy area in Addis expecting an answer for a logo same as the eye picture but in the vertical way rather than horizontal. Edsa, witty as she is, was quick to answer for Abdu stating a "mother with a beautiful baby " & we all laughed.....
We had to pay a visit to the ?lover's street where the fish market is & had to have fish from Hawassa for lunch before heading back to Addis. It was here in the bus that we appreciated some singing talent from our batch...
It was hard to get off the bus & part from such a group & trip to go home in Addis. Indeed many expressed a sense of loneliness the next morning despite being in the midst of their family & home. Such was our reunion....
Godspeed ......
Aklilu A Yishak
Sent: Tuesday, February 7, 2017 3:34 AM
To: Daniel Zemenfes
Cc: Aklilu Yishak; Hakim-92; gracematerni...@yahoo.com; Dr; Dr Assefa; Dr; Dr; Dr Taffa; Dr Birhanu; Dr; Dr; Dr Getachew; Dr Baruda; Dr; Dr Weyessa; Dereje Habte; Dr Ermias Merkebu; Estifanos Biru; Afework Mebrahtu; Dr Sentayehu Bedanie; Daniel Berhane
Subject: Re: Hakim-92 Silver Jubilee Celebration first part
Aklilu Yishak
Sent from my iPhone
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tibebualemayehu11
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Estifanos Biru Shargie
Abraham Mitike
Pediatric Cardiologist
Professor of Pediatrics and Child Health
Jimma University
yoseph_w2001
ayalew....@gmail.com
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Asfaw Fekensa
mesfin mengistu
Warren Bedane
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<image-0-02-01-5d0124c1b555bbdb842bcc5bdd1bc7da9200ee733a6574d662eaf843d4ae07cc-V.jpg>
Abeba T/Giorgis
Enquan Le-Berhane Tinssa-a Aderessen!
Abeba
--------------------------------------------
On Mon, 4/17/17, Warren Bedane <sent...@hotmail.com> wrote:
Subject: Re: Happy Easter!!!
To: "haki...@googlegroups.com" <haki...@googlegroups.com>
Cc: "Dejene Kebede" <kebede...@gmail.com>, "Daniel Zemenfes" <donz...@yahoo.com>, "gracematerni...@yahoo.com" <gracematerni...@yahoo.com>, "Dr" <ibr...@yahoo.com>, "Dr Assefa" <belete...@hotmail.com>, "Dr" <assegid_...@yahoo.com>, "Dr" <gene...@yahoo.com>, "Dr Taffa" <belach...@yahoo.com>, "Dr Birhanu" <lina...@yahoo.com>, "Dr" <solomon...@yahoo.com>, "Dr" <worke...@fastmail.fm>, "Dr Getachew" <eso...@yahoo.ca>, "Dr Baruda" <geira...@yahoo.com>, "Dr" <abreha...@gmail.com>, "Dr Weyessa" <tib...@yahoo.com>, "Dereje Habte" <derej...@yahoo.com>, "Dr Ermias Merkebu" <ermiasm...@gmail.com>, "Estifanos Biru" <estif...@yahoo.com>, "Afework Mebrahtu" <afework...@yahoo.com>, "Daniel Berhane" <danbe...@gmail.com>, "Abeba T Giorgis" <abebat...@yahoo.com>, "DR ABDU IBRAHI" <alud...@hotmail.com>, "Dr Solomon Daffo" <daf...@yahoo.com>, "Anis Bahir" <bahi...@gmail.com>, "Eskinder Kebede" <eskinde...@yahoo.com>, "Edsa Negussie" <edsane...@yahoo.com>, "Elsa Fasika" <efa...@verizon.net>, "Dr Yared Koku" <eyo...@hotmail.com>, "Dr Eyob Estifanos" <eemich...@yahoo.com>, "Debebe Fikeremariam" <debebe.fi...@gmail.com>, "Asfaw Fekinsa" <asfe...@yahoo.com>, "Samuel Haileab" <sba...@yahoo.com>, "Dr Tedros Mengesha" <theo...@yahoo.com>, "Dr Shifa" <sla...@yahoo.com>, "Shiferaw, Dr Negashe" <shifera...@yahoo.com>, "Dr Abay Negede" <aba...@yahoo.com>, "sob...@yahoo.com" <sob...@yahoo.com>, "Dr Tariku damte" <ayalew....@gmail.com>, "Woldecherkos abebe" <wolde...@yahoo.com>, "Dr Tibebu Alemayehu" <tibebual...@gmail.com>, "Dr Abebaw" <zabebawfek...@yahoo.com>, "Melaku Abraha" <melaku...@yahoo.com>, "hail...@gmail.com" <hail...@gmail.com>, "Dr Habtemariam" <hman...@netscape.net>, "abate shewaye" <abate...@gmail.com>, "Dr Mesfin Endashaw" <m_men...@yahoo.co.uk>, "Daniel Abebe" <defda...@yahoo.com>, "Mohamed Abdu" <moha...@yahoo.com>
Date: Monday, April 17, 2017, 4:03 AM
Dejene Kebede
Dear Dr Akililu,Thank you very much for your effort to make nice,descriptive & palatable report, it was wonderful moment of our life and we will pray to live long to have many more reunions.Stay Blessed!!!!.
Cc: Aklilu Yishak; Hakim-92; gracematernitychildhealth@yahoo.com; Dr; Dr Assefa; Dr; Dr; Dr Taffa; Dr Birhanu; Dr; Dr; Dr Getachew; Dr Baruda; Dr; Dr Weyessa; Dereje Habte; Dr Ermias Merkebu; Estifanos Biru; Afework Mebrahtu; Dr Sentayehu Bedanie; Daniel Berhane
Subject: Re: Hakim-92 Silver Jubilee Celebration first part
Dear Aklilu, dear Hakim-92 friends.I responded late because I am still on mission in one of the remote refugee locations. This is so invigorating for the re-union and its sustainability. It is an indication that there is also potential to do more
Thank you Aklilu and friends for taking the great initiative for the great work. You deserve all the appreciations from all of us.
All the best wishes.
On Sun, Jan 29, 2017 at 5:17 PM, Daniel Zemenfes <danz...@yahoo.com> wrote:
thank you very much Aklilu that was something, and I did not realize that your stay was so booked, well done my freind you really got us all together.
Daniel Zemenfes, MDAssistant Professor of Surgery
Colorectal and General SurgeonSchool of Medicine, Addis Ababa University
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
On Sunday, January 29, 2017 1:43 AM, Aklilu Yishak <yak...@hotmail.com> wrote:
Hello all,
This is what I compiled from our Silver Jubilee celebration and reunions over the years while in a flight from California to DC yesterday after coming back from Ethiopia last week.It's a long file because of the pics and will send it in parts (six) and this is the first part.
Cheers,
Aklilu
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yoseph_w2001
Pediatric Cardiologist
Professor of Pediatrics and Child Health
Jimma University
Cc: Aklilu Yishak; Hakim-92; gracematerni...@yahoo.com; Dr; Dr Assefa; Dr; Dr; Dr Taffa; Dr Birhanu; Dr; Dr; Dr Getachew; Dr Baruda; Dr; Dr Weyessa; Dereje Habte; Dr Ermias Merkebu; Estifanos Biru; Afework Mebrahtu; Dr Sentayehu Bedanie; Daniel Berhane
Subject: Re: Hakim-92 Silver Jubilee Celebration first part
Dear Aklilu, dear Hakim-92 friends.I responded late because I am still on mission in one of the remote refugee locations. This is so invigorating for the re-union and its sustainability. It is an indication that there is also potential to do more
Thank you Aklilu and friends for taking the great initiative for the great work. You deserve all the appreciations from all of us.
All the best wishes.
On Sun, Jan 29, 2017 at 5:17 PM, Daniel Zemenfes <danz...@yahoo.com> wrote:
thank you very much Aklilu that was something, and I did not realize that your stay was so booked, well done my freind you really got us all together.
Daniel Zemenfes, MDAssistant Professor of Surgery
Colorectal and General SurgeonSchool of Medicine, Addis Ababa University
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
On Sunday, January 29, 2017 1:43 AM, Aklilu Yishak <yak...@hotmail.com> wrote:
Hello all,
This is what I compiled from our Silver Jubilee celebration and reunions over the years while in a flight from California to DC yesterday after coming back from Ethiopia last week.It's a long file because of the pics and will send it in parts (six) and this is the first part.
Cheers,
Aklilu
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