Lifetime Achievement Award

Ashley Meredith • Nov 01, 2018

Sister Senkenesh Honored by Ministry of Health

In October 2018, the Ethiopian Ministry of Health recognized the brilliant work of Sister Senkenesh through a Lifetime Achievement Award. Translated here is the recognition of her efforts:

 Sister Senkenesh Gebremariam has been known for her comprehensive service over several years by Alert Hospital. Prior to that, 1973 to 1977, she had been providing service at Bicidomo for people affected by leprosy. From 1983 to 2000, at the Alert Hospital, Sr. Senkenesh had been successful in contributing to the reduction of health related stigma and discrimination with the help of social counseling. She is also know for her community-oriented training in collaboration with hospitals, different parts of the country, and universities. Sister Senkenesh has been working with the Ethiopian Catholic Church for the establishment of the Medhen Social Service Center in the establishment and training of patients to join social life and the community in the past 30 years. In addition, she has helped to make sure more than 500 families of leprosy are provided with the opportunity for education.
 She is also the Chairwoman of the Alert Research Advisory Committee, and has been serving as a member for more than a decade, where she has been involved in research and development of problem-solving research, and research activities in the management and implementation of various levels of social work. For this, the Damien-Dutton Award, once won by Mother Teresa at the international level, was awarded to the devoted and humble Sr. Senkenesh from the UK in 2010.

By Nancy Holland 18 Jun, 2024
Board Member Visits to Medhen
By Jen Baxter 20 Nov, 2022
Despite a global health crisis, rising inflation, and civil war, MSC perseveres.
By Jim Miller 09 Mar, 2022
A conversation with longtime M.O.R.E. supporter, Lynn Devereux
03 Apr, 2021
Board member, Nancy Holland, is featured on New York Fox 5 as the Everyday Hero for April 2, 2021. Her work with CardsForMORE , and other contributions to the children of Medhen, are featured.
Rakbe's Story
14 Feb, 2021
The emotional account of the loss of Rakbe's parents amid the aftermath of the disastrous dump collapse at Koshe, and how MSC helped Rakbe to pick up the pieces of her life and move on.
Mebratu's Story
14 Jan, 2021
The inspiring story of Mebratu's journey to Addis with his mother and grandmother, and the transformative services that they received from the Medhen Social Center upon their arrival.
Mare's Story
14 Dec, 2020
The gripping story of Mare and her brother, which details how the Medhen Social Center made their education possible.
Sister Senkensh
14 Nov, 2020
An overview of the Medhen Social Center in Addis Ababa provided by its inspiring founder, Sister Senkenesh Gabremariam.
By Ashley Meredith 05 May, 2020
Dear M.O.R.E. Family, We come to you with the hope that you and your family are staying safe and healthy during these challenging times. This international crisis has left many of us feeling anxious, fearful, and uncertain about the future, yet we still wish to connect with and help others who are much less fortunate than we are. COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc in every part of the world, however the people in Ethiopia are facing significant challenges because of the hardships of the virus mixed with extreme poverty. Without access to food, clean water, and other necessary supplies including medicine, the Medhen Orphan Relief Effort (M.O.R.E.) community of orphaned and vulnerable children, their caregivers, and the support staff at our Medhen Social Center (MSC) in Addis Ababa are suffering . Sheltering-at-home is a hardship considering the size, conditions and number of people living in the small homes and very densely populated neighborhoods. Further, the impact of COVID-19 has almost doubled the demand for services that M.O.R.E. provides because many previously successful and independent program graduates, who are now simply struggling to survive due to loss of employment and other unimaginable hardships, are returning for assistance – all without any government support or special funding. They are out of jobs, they cannot find food, and they feel trapped in a world of distress. Remembering a source of comfort and past support, they are asking MSC for help. While we cannot entirely fix this unfortunate situation, with your help, we can give the people of MSC a glimmer of hope during an unpredictable time. This is truly an emergency with life or death consequences. We kindly ask you, our M.O.R.E supporters, to extend your generosity to help us create an emergency fund for the vulnerable people being helped through MSC. We have pledged initial support of $27,000; anything raised in excess of this amount will be used to create an ongoing emergency fund to be distributed based on future needs. While we all may be feeling a little stir-crazy in our homes, it is important for us to find balance and celebrate the “tiny wins” in our everyday life. With your donation we can create a “big win” as we support this fragile community together during this turbulent time. Please donate today!
By Leelie Selassie 01 Dec, 2018
Board member Leelie Selassie visit Medhen for the first time during a recent trip to Ethiopia.
Show More
Share by: