When we opened the metal gate and walked into the shelter in Harar, Ethiopia, we were in awe.
Vibrant blue and green-painted walls, rows of cute planted pots, and meticulous grounds. It’s home to dozens of children who have nowhere else to go or no one able to take care of them.
And all of it stems from one man, a guy who lived a hard life, and had a vision to make sure kids like him could travel a better path.
“I lived on the street from age seven to 17. That’s why I established this organization,” Tesfa told us. And he was more than willing to share.
“If my story could help others, that would make me so happy. I am not ashamed of the life I have lived.”
Tesfa spends all of his time caring for, guiding, coaching, teaching, providing for and loving the children who live at the shelter and the children who are supported through his shelter. His whole life is dedicated to providing a safe and loving home and family for the over 80 children in his care.
“I am with them until the end of their success,” Tesfa told us. “Some who don’t have family think of me as their father. I am with them to the end - they may even need a grandfather,” he said with a smile.
He’s turned personal heartbreak and tragedy into something beautiful.
When Tesfa was a young boy, his mother died. His father had left years before, and he had no other family to look after him. He ended up living on the street, selling khat (pronounced chat) to businessmen and asking if they had any work for him.
Khat is a plant that’s chewed or brewed into tea so people can experience its high, which is similar to amphetamines. It’s been used spiritually and socially for many, many years and is sold at busy, bustling markets, largely in east Africa.
“Street life is very difficult,” Tesfa said. He honed his communciation skills by talking to people and looking for odd jobs.
And his inner determination was never dimmed. Even while homeless, Tesfa was volunteering and raising money to help fellow street children. His goal was often to buy schoolbooks.
At one point, he ended up in jail, after a raid to clear out all the children and folks living on the street. He told us how he pleaded with the guards for a break to write his Grade 8 exam, a three-day affair that can help determine a child’s future.
“I was granted a reprieve to take the exam, and then went back to prison. That’s how life is on the street,” he told us.
Later in life, when he was a teenager, Tesfa’s father found him. He was a wealthy man who had other children. Living with his dad didn’t go well, Tesfa said. They couldn’t relate to one another after so many years apart.
“I was hurting psychologically. They didn’t really accept me as their own.”
He was hesitant to go back to the streets, especially because others there knew of his newfound family money. Instead, he moved out on his own to chart his own path. He built his own kind of family.
The shelter is more than just a place to stay. It’s beautiful, it’s safe, it’s homey. And Tesfa has built an incredible network, convincing local merchants, business owners and townspeople to contribute to his project.
Most can’t offer money, but they give services - a barber cuts the boys’ hair, school supplies and sanitary supplies. These kinds of donations are almost unheard of in Ethiopia. We were absolutely amazed by Tesfa’s determination and vision to involve the community as much as possible.
The children in Tesfa’s care have been through unimaginable trauma, just like Tesfa. They’ve slept in doorways, been beaten by shopowners, robbed of what little they have and lived in jail because there was no other place for the local officials to provide housing.
Tesfa, even when he was a homeless 10-year-old, was a leader. He helped his friends on the street to stay engaged and seek an education. Some graduated university thanks to his help.
Now, he’s ensuring that hundreds of vulnerable children don’t have to go through the same struggles he did.
And more than just providing clothing or food or a roof overhead, he’s built a home.
“If the children are going to succeed, we have to be a family. If one is sick or in trouble, the others will contribute their skills to help,” he said.
We are so inspired by Tesfa’s work, and the amazing gifts he offers these children. Thank you, Tesfa, for sharing your life journey with us and reminding us of the good in the world.