Welcome to The Story of Emahoye Atnaf Work Abate

Let’s celebrate Emahoye Atnaf Work Abate, a remarkable woman whose life has left an indelible mark on our hearts. We invite you to join us on a journey that celebrates her inspiring story of hard work, dedication, and unwavering resilience. As her children and grandchildren, we have come together to honor her legacy by sharing her remarkable journey with the world. Through captivating storytelling, cherished photos, and heartfelt videos, we aim to capture the essence of Wawa’s life, her infectious joy, and the profound impact she had on our lives.

Discover the strength and wisdom she imparted, the laughter and love she shared, and the lessons she taught us through her remarkable example.

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Testimonials

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The Ohio State Medical School Class 2023 Tommy’s Story

Actions speak louder than words. When it comes to our grandmother, it is through her actions that you can see how amazing of a woman she is.

Wawa is both a mother and a caregiver. She has 8 children and 20 grandchildren, who are all beautiful and successful. When my mom, uncles, and aunt came to America, they all lived in a house in Cleveland, Ohio. Wawa sacrificed for the family. She stayed at home to cook and clean so that her kids were able to focus on their education and better their lives. She served as the backbone of the family, allowing there to be a generational success. We all exemplify her strength as a leader and a mother, but the true character of her motherhood can be seen in the relationships she has with those outside of her family.

When I was a kid, I would often accompany my grandmother to Ethiopian stores to buy injera or meat. Everyone would always greet her with such respect and call her “Mama” or “Abaye”. She would often spend time catching up with them as if they were childhood friends or family. As I grew older, I began to understand why she was always treated with such love and respect. It was because she was a caregiver to the community. I witnessed her visit those who were sick, pay for the food of those less fortunate, give money for tea and coffee for those in school, cook for the homeless people while she was in Ethiopia, and do many more acts of service. She was always generous and selfless and exhibited a caregiving attitude. What stood out to me the most was the equal and respectful treatment she gave to everyone, regardless of their socioeconomic background. This is a quality that I have carried throughout my training to become a doctor.

Additionally, our grandmother is an educator and lifelong learner. Despite only receiving a 3rd-grade education, she taught herself to read and write Amharic. She then taught her grandkids how to read and write Amharic. If it were not for her, I would not have been able to participate in Kidase as a deacon. To this day she continues to be self-taught, as she is constantly improving her English. She has an active library membership and checks out English books to read. Whenever she comes across a word that she does not understand, she writes it down to look it up later in an English-Amharic dictionary. Watching her pray and study every day has shown me the importance of sustained hard work. Her actions are what showed me how to develop the study habits and work ethic that has allowed me to become a doctor.

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Yale University Class 2023 Melat’s Story

Wawa is an inspirational human being and the wise matriarch of our family. She raised my father and my uncles and aunts to be accomplished, hard-working, and kind. She also instilled these beliefs in her grandchildren. Her presence in my life has been immeasurable, and I’m so grateful for the sacrifices she made to build a life for us here in America. Growing up, it was clear to me that Wawa was fierce and intelligent, and I aspire to emulate these traits when I become a lawyer. My life mission to uplift others through my career stems from the example she set for us as kids. Strong women inspire strong girls, and I was lucky to gain much of my tenacity from her.

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Lemma Getachew –son

My mother, Emahoye Atnaf work Abate, has been amazing mother, for her children and grandmother for their families. She has been a model of strength, perseverance when faced with adverse situation. She has been a teacher and patriarch to her family.

My mother now 87, lives Columbus Ohio. She grew up in eastern Ethiopia in remote village with no electric city and running water.

Immigrated, to America with no English 25 years ago. She continued cheerleading and instilling to her kids and grandkids to have a successful, meaningful life.

“You can do anything you set your mind” this one of the many things mother has told me. She showed as this in action. She has always been a hardworking mother. She has never given up on anything in life no matter how hard it is. She has always taught her kids to never give up on anything we want in life.

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