Vocational Training Course for Ethiopian Israelis

Mawark tells the following story of where she came from, and how she got to Megemeria: “I grew up in Gondar in the west of Ethiopia. I was married by 13, and three years later I gave birth to a boy, Joseph. My mother helped me care for the child until she made Aliyah to Israel.”

“After several years I traveled to Addis Ababa with my husband and son; I was already pregnant with my second child. I missed my mother terribly, and I wished she were there to help me raise my children. When my daughter was born, I called her “Tibus;” Patience. Half a year later, my father passed away in Israel, and my family began to pressure me to make Aliyah.”

“When we finally arrived in Israel, we bought a small apartment in Jerusalem, and I began to work as a cleaner. The hours were long, the pay was terrible, and worst of all - I never felt fulfilled. I knew that this could not be my job, that cleaning could not be my life. After three years of cleaning, I went to a social worker and told her of my dreams. I told her that I wanted to learn a profession, and she sent me to the auditions for the second cohort of YVEL. I didn’t think I would pass the first tests, but I did.” 

“Thanks to Megemeria, I’ve realized my dream of learning a profession, and I’m loving every minute of it. Megemeria has boosted my self-confidence, and I’m proud of how far I’ve come. Even better, my children are proud of me, and tell all of their friends about how their mother makes beautiful jewelry for a living.”

The Megemeria School would not be possible without the generosity of donors like you – every dollar you donated helped Mawark and the 21 other students of the second cohort gain the skills, confidence, and knowledge that they needed to become self-sufficient workers, who take pride in their creative work and support their families with dignity. With your help, 17 graduates are now employed by YVEL or Megemeria, along with the graduates of the first cohort. 

Megemeria jewelry sales continue to thrive! The jewelry collections of both cohorts have attracted national and international interest: Our pop-up mobile store in the prestigious Arena Mall in Herzelia Pituach has sold NIS 75,000 worth of jewelry, and we will be erecting an additional pop-up store in Tel Aviv's Gan Ha'ir Mall in November. Select pieces of the collections will also be sold at the Kabbalah Center in Tel Aviv and the Sapir jewelry store in Ra'anana. We're also expanding Megemeria's reach by developing a new eBay store. With each new piece of jewelry sold, Megemeria serves as an ambassador of the Ethiopian-Israeli community, sending a clear message: when given the opportunity, this community is capable of great things.

YEDID is continuing to advance this growing social business beyond the jewelry-making activities. We're looking into developing the school and social enterprise into a community-based tourism to house a craft shop, a café, and a space for Ethiopian artisans to demonstrate traditional crafts and skill: weaving, pottery, woodcarvings, and cotton spinning. We're excited to create a space that will share the Ethiopian Israel story with visitors from home and abroad while generating revenue to ensure the continuity and sustainability of Megemeria.

On behalf of YEDID's staff and the students and graduates from Megemeria, I thank our supporters for their partnership. Without help like yours, 44 talented individuals would not have had the chance to embark on the path to a brighter future. Thank you so much!