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Library Information Foundation For Ethiopia – A Country That Reads Is A Country That Leads.

‘The value of a man should be seen in what he gives and not in what he’s able to receive.’
– Albert Einstein

Entrepreneur Ahmedin Mohamed Nasser, a native of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, lives his life by this mantra. After moving to the U.S. in 1985 and graduating from Cal State East Bay, Nasser had the idea to start a library for students in his homeland. He rallied friends and institutions together in support of his dream. Stanford University was the first to send 5000 new books to Addis Ababa University.

However, after looking to invest in more books and computers for students, Nasser says the challenge was logistics with expensive transportation costs. ‘Sacrifice is necessary for my people. It was a full commitment to make sure my dream was fulfilled, my dream of helping my people transform their life.’

Nasser invested his money and his time to make sure that students in his country were afforded the opportunity to have a free public library, something he says people take for granted.

In 2007, he organized Yeewket Admas, committed to creating a culture of reading and self-improvement for the people of Ethiopia. Garnering support from businesses and individuals, including Congresswoman Barbara Lee, they raised $15,000 to send a 40-ft container of books, computers, and printers to fill libraries in each high school, college, and community center in Ethiopia.

‘Here all of us, including Americans and those of us from the African Diaspora and other parts of the world, we take everything for granted. They don’t have the opportunity in Africa that we have the privilege of having here. But there are so many intelligent kids out there who need books and computers to excel in their studies.’ he said.

Now Ethiopians have access to free public libraries at 22 locations throughout the country. Nasser hopes to expand the project to elementary schools for students starting in Kindergarden and up, including the deaf, blind, and disabled.

‘Everyone has a responsibility to pay back; any human should help other human beings. Ethiopians have more responsibility in helping their own in any way possible – in-kind donations, financial support, serving on the committee, grant writing, fundraising.’

‘An ordinary person can make an extraordinary achievement.’ he said.

(Excerpt from an article in the Post News Group by Ashley Chambers; ‘Ahmedin Nasser, Building Libraries in Ethiopia’)

Mr. Ahmedin Nasser, Founder and CEO.

Oakland Man Creates Needed Libraries In His Native Ethiopia

Young & Old eager to read.

The library is a refuge to obtain knowledge and wisdom.

Mr. Ahmedin Nasser's vision.

(KPIX 5) — At the dawn of the 20^th Century, wealthy industrialist Andrew Carnegie began creating his legacy by building libraries across this country.

(KPIX 5) — At the dawn of the 20^th Century, wealthy industrialist Andrew Carnegie began creating his legacy by building libraries across this country. That’s sort of what Ahmedin Mohammed Nasser has done, but he laughs when asked if he’s a wealthy man.

Nasser is an unemployed accountant living in Oakland. But he loves books and he loves his native country of Ethiopia, so he’s spent the last 23 years building libraries there – 22 of them so far.

It all began when he graduated from Cal State Hayward in 1994 and couldn’t bear to throw out his textbooks.

“All my teachers were, ‘Wow! Can you take all these books off my shelf, please? I don’t use it,’” Nasser said. “So I said, ‘yes, a burden for you … but it’s gold for my people back home who are desperate looking for books.’”

Books are hard to come by in Ethiopia, so Nasser began collecting them – unwanted textbooks, mostly – and got a grant from Stanford University to send them to the University of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Since then, the foundation he set up has donated books and old computers to high schools and colleges across the country.

Nasser’s libraries may be rudimentary by American standards, but to those who use them they could be the door to a whole new life.

“Helping another human being, doesn’t matter what race, what religion … it’s a noble thing to do,” said Khaled Almaghafi, who helped with the project.

Nasser has also been inspired to take his beekeeping skills to Africa as well to modernize the industry there. If nothing else, their example teaches that, with determination, even ordinary people have the power to change the world.

“God gives us two things for everyone, equally, Nasser said. “One is death, everybody dies. Number two, everybody’s got 24 hours a day. It’s the way how you use it.”

His is a legacy created not from the wallet, but from the human heart.