Mawi Asgedom

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Mawi Asgedom

• Author
• Of Beetles and Angels
• The Code The 5 Secrets of Teen Success

Coming to Prairie October 2nd!
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From Refugee Camp to Harvard
HOW DID HE DO IT?
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"You just don't give upthat's the key. When
you've seen so much hardship and suffering,
studying hard doesn't seem like such a hardship."
Mawi
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• Eritrea and Ethiopia
• (EHR ih TREE uh)

Eritrea and Ethiopia are two countries that are
located on the northeast side of Africa. Mawi
was born in Ethiopia and moved later to Eritrea.
Life was not easy in either place for Mawi and
his family.
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ETHIOPEAN CIVIL WAR1961-1991

• The United Kingdom had control of Eritrea during
  WWII.
• 1952- Eritrea became part of Ethiopia
• 1961 Civil war breaks out between Eritrea and
  Ethiopia
• Eritrean rebels want independence from Ethiopia
• Roads and rail lines badly damaged
• Farmland ruined from people fleeing to escape the
  war
• 1991 War ended with Eritrea and other rebels
  winning.

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WHY DID ERITREA WANT ITS INDEPENDENCE?

• Ethiopia had many problems

The corrupt and mismanaged government did not
help!
Drought brought on famine Lack of rain killed
crops. People starved due to the scarcity of food
Guerrilla warfare Sudden unexpected attacks
carried out by an unofficial military group or
groups that are trying to change the government
by assaults on the armed forces Definition taken
from www.dictionary.com
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War Raged on the Eritrean/Ethiopian Border
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ERITREA WON ITS INDEPENDENCE IN 1993
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Many civilians who were caught in the middle of
this civil war fled for safety. Mawi and his
family joined other refugees walking to Sudan.
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REFUGEE

• Any person not in the military or government who
  has fled his or her country because of a genuine
  and well-founded fear of persecution and cannot,
  or does not want to, return.
• Definition from the United Nations High
  Commissioner for Refugees

• Common reasons for fear
• Ethnic origin
• Religion
• Nationality or citizenship
• Political views

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Refugees are forced to decide what possessions to
take with them. Many times it is only what they
can carry.
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In Sudan life was no better for refugees. Lack
of food, sicknesses that spread, and poor living
conditions were all things that refugees had to
endure.
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Mawis family was ready to start anew Life in
America looked promising. Pictured here Mawis
brothers and sister Tsege, Tewolde, Selamawi and
Mehret
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Thanks to the World Relief Organization

• Mawi and his family were able to escape the
  hardships of a refugees life.

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Barrington
Wheaton
Mawis family settled in Wheaton, IL.
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"Where else but America can someone have no
money, not know the language, grow up, work hard,
respect other people and end up getting a
scholarship to go to college? That's only
possible in America. That's the American dream
that people have been dreaming about for years."
Mawi
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Mawis Life

• Born September 29, 1976 (31 years old)
• Lived in a refugee camp in Sudan for 3 years
• He was 7 years old when he arrived in the U.S. in
  1983
• Grew up in Wheaton, Il
• Graduated with top honors from Harvard University
  with a degree in American history
• Gave the commencement address at Harvard in 1999

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• Oprah Winfrey named her interview with Mawi one
  of her 20 most unforgettable moments

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Ethiopia
X
Mawis Journey
X
Eritrea
X
Sudan
X
U.S.A.
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MAWI ASGEDOM
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Bibliography

• Asgedom, Mawi. Of Beetles and Angels A Boys
  Remarkable Journey from a Refugee Camp to
  Harvard. New York Little Brown and Company,
  2001.
• Commins, Stephen K, Ph.D. Eritrea. World Book
  Online Reference Center. 2007. World Book. 25
  Sept. 2007 lthttp//www.worldbookonline.com/gt.
• Drought. Photograph. Google Images. 25 Sept. 2007
  lthttp//images.google.com/?images?qdroughtethiop
  iagbv2svnum10hlengt.
• Ethiopia. Map. Google Images. 25 Sept. 2007
  lthttp//ethiopia.adoption.comgt.
• Guerrilla. Photograph. Google Images. 25 Sept.
  2007 lthttp//news.bbc.co.uk/?olmedia/?1930000/?ima
  ges/?_1930901_ethiopia_erit_tp300.jpggt.
• Mawi Asgedom. Photograph. Google Images. 25 Sept.
  2007 lthttp//www.inthefray.com/?bios/?Bio-Asgedom_
  Mawi.htmlgt.
• Mawi Asgedom. Photograph. Northwestern
  University. Google Images. 25 Sept. 2007
  lthttp//www.kellogg.northwestern.edugt.
• Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. United
  Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. World
  Book Online Reference Center. 2007. 25 Sept. 2007
  lthttp//www.worldbookonline.com/?wb/?Article?idar
  726305gt.
• Some photos and ideas were borrowed from a
  PowerPoint created by Sheila Hamill and Kristin
  Samuels who teach at Walter Sundling Junior High
  in Palatine, IL.