About Me
BACKGROUND
Hadembes Yebetit, was born in Gheleb Mansa, Eritrea, and was raised in Asmara, the Capital of Eritrea, where he completed his Secondary School and became a teacher in elementary schools. He then went to Rome, Italy, for his higher education and completed his postgraduate Degree in School Pedagogy and Social Communication from The Salesian University in Rome. He then went back to Ethiopia and worked as Principal of comprehensive high schools where he developed a guide to practical teaching methods for his staff, served as Director of Teachers' Training Institute - Summer Program in Eritrea, and taught Philosophy of Education, Pedagogy and Developmental Psychology, in Catholic Universities in Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) and In Nairobi (Kenya). He came to Kitchener (Canada) in 2006 and worked as Case Worker at the Waterloo Region Reception House and, since 2016, he is Settlement Counsellor at the K-W Multicultural Centre. Hadembes is a member of CCORIC (representing the KW Multicultural Centre). Hadembes also taught Tigrigna (the national language of Eritrea) at the International Languages School of the Waterloo Catholic District School Board.
EXPERIENCE
Making a difference.
As an active member of the Eritrean-Canadian Community of KW and Area, he served as its Secretary General and Public Relations Officer and helped to finalize and ratify the Constitution of the community. His work experience brought him to a direct contact with the reality of newcomer-children in the Public and Catholic Schools and began advocating for a better and smooth integration of children in Catholic Schools and sought to help staff to better understand the culture and customs of their students and to increase their awareness on the plight refugees go through in their search to find a safe place and peaceful life in Europe, the USA and Canada. To accomplish this, Hadembes went to different Catholic Schools that have large number of Eritrean Students which was organized and coordinated by the Newcome Reception Centre of the Waterloo Catholic District School Board and the Principals of the Schools in collaboration with K-W Multicultural Centre.