Last week the World Affairs Council of Seattle in the United States, a non-partisan leading foreign affairs forum in the Pacific Northwest since 1951, announced that its 2010 World Citizen Award would be given to Ethiopian Ezra Teshome who is also named by TIME magazine as one of the ten global Health heroes.
The Council said Ezra Teshome has showed exceptional leadership in working to eradicate polio in Ethiopia. Capital’s Kirubel Tadesse sat down with Ezra to learn about his recognized journey.
Childhood for Ezra
I was born in a place called Wolete Suk near Sebeta Road in Addis Ababa - I also grew up in that area. I went to Nativity Boys School, now known as Lideta Catholic Cathedral School. I finished until grade eight there and moved to Medhanalem high school. I graduated from high school in 1971 and then left to the United States at that time to continue my university education.
Early days in Seattle
I first went to Highline community college in Seattle. After that, I joined and graduated from Seattle University. Upon graduating I was supposed to return back home but by then the government was changed and the Dergue came. So I decided to stay until things stabilized but as you know things got worst and I continued to live in the United States.
In 1982 I came back to Ethiopia for the first time to attend my brother’s funeral. At that point I saw some of the destructions, pain and anguish people were going through. Until that time I was hoping I would return back to Ethiopia and live here. But things were not really looking well so I decided to open an insurance agency on my return to Seattle. It is called State Farm Insurance firm. more on Capital Ethiopia
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