On February 29, the Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology held an event of great importance in its facilities located on E. King Street in Lancaster. The Mellor Auditorium on second floor was packed with the audience that came to support, encourage and celebrate their friends and families who graduated from construction class.
Construction Class is one of the various programs initiated by Neighborhood Services/United Way in collaboration with CareerLink Lancaster and Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology. This two month session is open to anyone able to write and read English and having a basic knowledge in math.
This event had a specific character for Lutheran Refugee Services, who placed two of its participants in the program: Kidanu Adulla and Solomon Chibssa, both from Ethiopia. They achieved this dream despite completing their duties as night shift workers and day-time students, in addition to the many responsibilities of being husbands and fathers. Given the fact that English is their second language, they were honored with a Certificate of Appreciation as well as a Graduation Certificate.
Ethiopia is an East-Central African Country that has been plagued with conflict since its emperor Haile Selassie was deposed in 1974. In 1977 Ethiopia was at war against Eritrean secessionists, followed by another war in 1991 when President Mengistu was forced from power. In 1998 and 2005, Ethiopia was in war again against Eritrea after demarcation borders clashes. With 435,186 sq miles, Ethopia's 76 million habitants speak a mixture of seven official languages [Amharic, Tigrigna, Orominga, Guaragigna, Somali, Arabic and English]. Ethiopia shares its borders with countries that have their own nightmares and a long history of repetitive wars: Sudan, Somalia, Djibouti and Eritrea.
Kidanu and Solomon got out of all that, put it behind them and made it in their new land of opportunities; the United States of America. Way to go guys!
-Article submitted by Andy Kalala, LCFS Staff.
