Don Koppes, a retired teacher from the Dubuque Community Schools, met Argaw Oremo in March of 2009. Don was volunteering at the Presentation Lantern Center, a drop-in place for people new to the Dubuque community who want to learn English. Argaw, new to the community, came for help on his English. The two were paired together on Argaw’s first day. Quickly, Don became Argaw’s teacher, mentor, and friend. With Don’s help, Argaw improved his English, got a job at HyVee Food Store, and learned to drive a car.
In August, 2010, Don and Caroline invited Argaw to live with them. The following December, Don and Caroline accompanied Argaw home to Ethiopia. It was Argaw’s first trip home since arriving in the United States in October, 2008. Argaw and his fiancée, Workensh, were married the day after they arrived in Ethiopia. Don and Caroline stayed in the village with Argaw and his wife for about two weeks before returning to the United States. Argaw stayed in Ethiopia until the end of April, 2011.
At the end of March, 2011, Don returned to Ethiopia for a month. He accompanied Argaw back to the United States at the end of April. While there, Don and Argaw were able to supply money to put cement floors in a rural school with dirt floors. The money came from donations from friends and family.
Through the efforts of a local attorney, John Becker, a non-profit organization was set up in late August, 2011. The name of the non-profit is Friends of Homacho. The goal of the non-profit is to improve the educational resources and opportunities for the children of Homacho and the surrounding area. In December, 2011, Argaw and Don once again returned to Ethiopia. They helped Argaw’s wife and brother to apply for a tourist visa to the United States. Their application was denied by the United States Embassy. While there, Argaw and Don distributed 5,000 pens and 2,300 notebooks to needy children in the village and a nearby school. The pens were gathered by the local YMCA through their pre-school program. The notebooks were purchased with money from the non-profit.
In August, 2010, Don and Caroline invited Argaw to live with them. The following December, Don and Caroline accompanied Argaw home to Ethiopia. It was Argaw’s first trip home since arriving in the United States in October, 2008. Argaw and his fiancée, Workensh, were married the day after they arrived in Ethiopia. Don and Caroline stayed in the village with Argaw and his wife for about two weeks before returning to the United States. Argaw stayed in Ethiopia until the end of April, 2011.
At the end of March, 2011, Don returned to Ethiopia for a month. He accompanied Argaw back to the United States at the end of April. While there, Don and Argaw were able to supply money to put cement floors in a rural school with dirt floors. The money came from donations from friends and family.
Through the efforts of a local attorney, John Becker, a non-profit organization was set up in late August, 2011. The name of the non-profit is Friends of Homacho. The goal of the non-profit is to improve the educational resources and opportunities for the children of Homacho and the surrounding area. In December, 2011, Argaw and Don once again returned to Ethiopia. They helped Argaw’s wife and brother to apply for a tourist visa to the United States. Their application was denied by the United States Embassy. While there, Argaw and Don distributed 5,000 pens and 2,300 notebooks to needy children in the village and a nearby school. The pens were gathered by the local YMCA through their pre-school program. The notebooks were purchased with money from the non-profit.
