In a study published last year in the Journal of Happiness Studies, researchers looked at data from nearly 70,000 subjects and concluded that volunteers were happier. People who start out at a lower level of well-being seem to get even more benefit from volunteering. But I don’t need a study to tell me that volunteer …
Why Do I Volunteer for OHBD? From our Creative Lead, Author Jane Kurtz Read More »
In September of 2015, I had the pleasure of connecting with Ellenore. Our work with our then corporate jobs initially brought us together but our shared passion for creating opportunities for women and children in Ethiopia (and beyond) kept us working in partnership over the last 6 years. I was honored to be offered a …
I’ve always followed my passion rather than running after money. So when it comes to work that matters, non-profit jobs offer the opportunity to be a part of something that will profoundly impact society. That is why I joined Open Heart Big Dreams. Ethiopian children want to read a good story, but with the lack …
I want to thank Open Hearts Big Dreams for giving me this chance. I am Phoben Alemayehu and I’m 13 years old and in grade 7. I got the chance to read a book entitled, The Lost Son, written by Finote Wongel and illustrated by Alemayehu Regassa, who is my father. I learned a lot …
RSG Readers Reflect: Phoben Alemayehu on lessons from RSG title, “The Lost Son” Read More »
Sharing interests. Enriching skills. Building friendships. Discovering connections. If someone had told me there was an organization that would provide all of these enriching experiences—as well as help families around the world understand the pandemic—I wouldn’t have believed them. “What an over-promise!” I would have said. “How can one organization do all that?” Truth is, …
I am still in denial that my dear friend has left this existence. I log on to Facebook expecting a funny, insightful, thought-provoking, or uplifting post. His range was impressive – from sports to music, politics to cooking, or tv shows to technology. It seems impossible that there will be no more of these treats …
Building on Mike Carr’s Legacy – A Role Model for Inclusion and Equity Read More »
My name is Betelhem (Betty). I moved to the USA eight years ago. I am a mother of 5 kids. Growing up, I saw my mom helping needy people. She would make food and tea and take it to a beggar who lived on the street or she would help kids from families in need. …
My name is Abebe Amare and I am an undergraduate student at Duke University studying Computer Science and Electrical and Computer Engineering. I have always appreciated how chains of opportunities brought me here and how the opportunity I have at Duke takes me to the next stage of my life. Opportunities are the fragments of …
Why I volunteer for the OHBD | American Embassy CS Boot Camp Read More »
My visit to DC in 2018 combined two passions: 1) empowering people who want to increase diversity and inclusion, and 2) empowering kids in Ethiopia, my daughter’s birth-country. I spoke at a Women in Influence, Power and Law conference on the former which took me back to my suit-wearing, court-appearing days. My message to the …
I learned how to read in Maji, Ethiopia, diving into the pages of books as if they were a matter of life and death. Perhaps for our family, they were. Daddy learned from the pages of books how to use the power of a Maji waterfall to run a small mill that would grind grain …
