Tigray Development Association North America (TDA NA) Held a Successful Annual Meeting.
Aigaforum August 10, 2007
(Oakland, California)-TDA North America concluded successfully its annual meeting held in Oakland California on Aug 10, 2007. Ambassador Tewolde Gebru TDA International Director, TDA NA chapter representatives as well as members and supporters at large attended the meeting
Teodros Gebru, TDA NA board chairman opened the meeting with a comprehensive report on a very successful year for the organization. The chairman explained TDA NA started from zero and is now on its way to help the people of Tigray to build over 10 elementary schools in one year. Of the nearly 500 thousand dollars pledged by chapters to raise to build the schools over 60% has been already wired to TDA International and the remaining on its way since many chapters are ready to transfer their balance.
The chairman report was followed by chapter reports. The following chapters were present at the meeting and their report read: Boston, New York, Washington DC, Atlanta, North Carolina, Dallas, Chicago, Las Vegas, San Diego, Los Angeles, Bay Area and Seattle.
Almost all chapters reported the fund raising effort has been successful despite some difficulties some chapters faced. The only missing report was from Denver Colorado chapter.
Concluding his report the Chairman thanked local TDA chapter and festival Tigray organizers for their hospitality and invited TDA International Director, Ambassador Tewolde Gebru to the podium.
Ambassador Tewolde briefed the audience on the status of TDA International and TDA’s five-year plan. He explained and discussed the new five-year plan in detail and asked participants to support the new initiatives wholeheartedly. He explained current TDA has weakness but with the current plan it can be solved. TDA’s mission is to participate in the improvement of quality education, support the health service sector and support unemployed by helping them become trained.
The Ambassador followed his detailed five-year plan presentation with the introduction of the new Fifty Million dollar campaign and a detail and thoughtful means how to succeed. According to the Ambassador the campaign is in full swing and this year's campaign will last until March 2008. The campaign will touch all sectors of the community as well as foreign donors. While chapters and community members are expected to raise most of the fifty million dollars, there will be a concerted effort to solicit funds from the international donors.
TDA NA has concluded one if its successful year and credit goes to the many chapters who answered the call by TDA International to sponsor build a school project. Las Vegas Chapter was recognized as the pioneer and meeting participants recognized their contribution and their hard working leader Abraham Teklu as well as Aite Hailetsadik Woldu from Washington Chapter who donated 35 thousand dollars to build one elementary school. The meeting adjourned due to time constraint and two agenda items were canceled from the day’s agenda to be discussed at another time.