News

September Highlights: Ethiopian New Year Celebration and Community Milestones

Ethiopian New Year Celebration:
We had a wonderful and well-attended Ethiopian New Year community celebration, featuring a soccer tournament in the daytime and a festive dinner at Victoria Park Pavilion in the evening. During the event, we recognized our dedicated volunteers, partners, and local businesses for their contributions. We also announced the recipients of the 2024 community scholarship. Congratulations to the recipients!

Bikila Award Ceremony:
A group of community leaders and volunteers attended the Bikila Award ceremony in Toronto for team building and inspiration. This event highlighted remarkable contributors, innovators, and leaders making a positive impact worldwide, energizing our team and encouraging collaboration and new ideas for our initiatives.

2024 Upstream Fund Recipients
On September 26, 2024, our board chair and staff attended the 2024 Region of Waterloo Upstream Fund Recipients event. We are pleased to announce that we have secured capacity-building funding to hire a part-time executive director and to continue some of our successful community initiatives. This support will strengthen our operations and enhance our impact in the community.

Breakfast Meeting with Faith Leaders

We held a breakfast meeting with faith leaders to discuss the challenges facing youth in our community. This gathering initiated a dialogue on how we can collaborate for a collective effort.

Faith leaders identified a representative adult and a youth leader to help guide our discussions moving forward. We emphasized the importance of researching family dynamics to better support our young people. We plan to meet again to continue this important conversation and develop actionable solutions that strengthen families and empower youth.

2024 Gender-Based Violence Conference Hosted by African Women Alliance WR

The chair attended and participated in the Community Leaders Circle discussion at the 2024 Gender-Based Violence Conference hosted by the African Women Alliance in Waterloo Region. This event aimed to raise awareness and discuss solutions to gender-based violence in Afro-centric communities and its connection to migration.

Thank you to the African Women Alliance for organizing this important event!

Bylaw Update:
The board is currently working with a legal expert to update our bylaws, which are outdated and in need of revision. This process will ensure that our governing documents are current and reflect our practices, supporting our ongoing growth as an organization.

Driver’s License Verification:
We have followed up on the issues regarding driver’s license acceptance, particularly concerning the verification of licenses from Ethiopia. We were informed some members were told licenses do not meet the necessary requirements, leading to complications in the acceptance process. We are actively seeking to understand and address these challenges with MTO. If you encounter issues, please email info@eakw.ca.

Call to Action: Get Involved!

Become a Member: To become a member of our community, visit our membership page.

Volunteer: to volunteer please visit our volunteer page.

Join Our Viber Channel: please visit our contact page.

Follow us on Instagram: please visit our contact page.

Thank you for your continued support as we strive to make a positive impact in our community!

Celebrate Ethiopian New Year with Us!

Join us for a warm Ethiopian New Year community celebration filled with cultural performance, music, delicious food, and joyous festivities. Come dressed in your best traditional outfit and be ready to participate in the fun. Everyone is welcome to share in the event as we usher in the new year together.

Date: Saturday, September 14, 2024

Time: 6:00 PM to Midnight

Location: Victoria Park Pavilion

We look forward to celebrating with you!

Post-Secondary Scholarship Opportunity: Apply Now!

The Ethiopian Association KW is pleased to announce four scholarship awards for local Ethiopian community members pursuing post-secondary education. Funded by the Community Capacity Building and Upstream well-being and belonging funding from the Region of Waterloo, these scholarships aim to support individuals committed to furthering their education and contributing to Waterloo Region Communities.

Scholarship Details:

Application Form:

EAKW-Fall-2024-Scholarship-Application-Form-1 Download

1. Recent High School Graduates:

Number of Awards: 4
Value of Each Award: $2,500
Application Period: August 1, 2024 – September 6, 2024, at 11:59 PM Eastern Standard Time
Award Announcement: September 14, 2024, at the 2017 Annual Ethiopian New Year Enkutatash Banquet
Please download the application form above.

a. Application Eligibility Criteria:

Must be a permanent resident or Canadian citizen (supporting documentation may be requested)
Resident of the Waterloo Region for at least two years
Graduated from high school within the last three years
Age between 17 and 25 years old
Ethiopian heritage and cultural identity required (or parent/grandparent must be of Ethiopian heritage)
First-time applicant to a post-secondary program (University/College/Trade School)
Program must start in Fall 2024, and proof of enrolment/registration must be provided
Two references related to community service experience
Demonstrated financial need
High school transcript required

b. Evaluation Method:

Evaluation will be based on a one-page, double-spaced essay (500 words) responding to the following prompts:
1. What is the importance of Ethiopian culture and community to you?
2. How do you hope to use your education to contribute to your community?
Applicants are also encouraged to include additional information regarding their financial need or individual identity that may strengthen their application and provide more context.

2. Mature Students:

a. Application Eligibility Criteria:

Must be a permanent resident or Canadian citizen (supporting documentation may be requested)
Resident of the Waterloo Region for at least two years
Minimum age of 25 years
Ethiopian heritage and cultural identity required (or parent/grandparent must be of Ethiopian heritage)
Program must start in Fall 2024, and proof of enrollment/registration must be provided
Two references related to community service experience
Demonstrated financial need
Most recent transcripts required

b. Evaluation Method:

Evaluation will be based on a one-page, double-spaced essay (500 words) responding to the following prompts:
1. What is the importance of Ethiopian culture and community to you?
2. How have you supported and given back to the Ethiopian community in the past?
3. How do you hope to use your education to contribute to your community?
Applicants are also encouraged to include additional information regarding their financial need or individual identity that may strengthen their application and provide more context.

For more information or if you have any questions, please email info@eakw.ca.

Please note that by completing the application form, you consent to the publication of your name, photograph and information.

We look forward to receiving your applications and supporting your educational pursuits.

Volunteers Needed

As we approach the Ethiopian New Year (Enkutatash 2017), we are excited to announce our upcoming KW community celebration on Saturday, September 14, 2024 . To make this event special and memorable, we are reaching out to the community for volunteers. Whether you are passionate about Ethiopian food, culture, music, dance, serving others, or coordinating activities, we welcome your involvement! Please fill out the volunteer form to sign up. Volunteer Form

Event details:

Date: September 14, 2024
Time: 4:00 pm to midnight
Location: Victoria Park Pavilion

Volunteers are expected to meet 3 to 4 times with the volunteer groups to plan. Please check the volunteer registration form for further details.

Volunteer roles include:

Share Ideas: Help with the program content.

Ticket Sales: Sell tickets at the entrance and assist with managing ticketing inquiries.

Event Setup: Help with setting up decorations, tables, and chairs as needed.

Activities Coordination: Manage games, cultural performances, and activities for both kids and adult attendees.

Greeters/Ushers: Welcome guests, distribute programs, and provide information.

Buffet Servers: Serve food buffet-style during the event.

Music Program Support: Assist the DJ with managing the music program, including playlist coordination and equipment setup.

Liquor Service: Smart Serve Certified volunteers needed to manage liquor service responsibly.

Cleanup Crew: Assist with cleaning and tidying up after the event.We encourage the youth to volunteer. Students are eligible for volunteer hours.

Note: all high school students (Grades 9-12) in the province of Ontario are required to complete 40 hours of community service as a graduation requirement.

Post-Event Summary: Pioneer Park Community Hiking Event & Father’s Day BBQ

The third annual community hiking event at Pioneer Park brought together over 100 families and individuals for a day filled with outdoor adventures and heartfelt celebrations. The weather couldn’t have been more perfect, adding to the joyous atmosphere of the day.

Fathers’ Day weekend was particularly special as we honoured and celebrated fathers and father figures for their invaluable role in our families and communities advocate for their active involvement in shaping their children’s lives.

The highlight of the event was the BBQ, where delicious food was shared with laughter. Fathers were praised for their dedication and encouraged to continue being positive role models and leaders within their families and the wider community.

During the event, the chairperson delivered a message, emphasizing the crucial role of fathers in nurturing healthy families and communities. There was a call to action for fathers to lead by example, demonstrating the values of responsibility, compassion, and involvement.

Thank you to everyone who attended and contributed to making this event a memorable and meaningful experience.

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