Washera_2000
March 16, 2008
I was preparing for a debate at the Ethiopian Television Network in Virginia on a variety of issues including the remarks of Senator Feingold on the senate floor of the Foreign Relations Subcommitte, Human Rights Practices in Ethiopia, the upcoming Ethiopian elections and whatever crumbs are left over from HR2003, when I stumbled across a document sent to me by a friend a while back. It was a Preliminary Draft (Not for quotation) prepared by Prime Minister Meles Zenawi on "African Development: Dead Ends and new Beginnings". It was a 50 pages plus draft for discussion with selected extracts of a monograph under preparation. Over 190 references were also included at the end.
It has been a while since I concluded that the PM is a hard working and very intelligent individual. I must say I was truly touched by his analyses and supportive arguments in this document and also ended up well informed by the time I completed reading it. I hope to highlight some of his impressive arguments and personal views about how to tackle this vicious cycle of poverty and bad governance in Africa. I will also include definitions of a few economic terminologies that may sound Latin for the average reader.
The thesis of his argument is that the neo-liberal paradigm of pervasiveness and efficient competitive markets to promote economic development in Africa is flawed and as a result has failed. It has made colonial Africa a weakened and predatory state (rulers extract tax for their own use) that is rife with rent-seeking (making money by manipulating the economic and/or legal environment) political economy tittering on the brink of collapse.
Neoliberalism was a right-wing libertarian political philosophy that gained ground a great deal after the stagnation crisis of the 1970s and the Developing World Debt Crisis of the 1980s. As articulated by John Williamson's Washington Consensus, it felt that government control over the economy was inefficient, corrupt or otherwise undesirable. As a result it proposed a means of transferring control of the economy from the public to the private sector. Specifically, Williamson's list included 10 points: 1) Fiscal policy discipline, 2) Reduction of public spending in education, health and infrastructure, 3) Tax reform, 4) Moderate interest rates, 5) Competitive exchange rates, 6) Trade liberalization, 7) Liberalization of inward FDI (Foreign Direct Investment), 8) Privatization of state enterprises, 9) Deregulation, and 10) Legal security for property rights. Thus the neo-liberal paradigm was put into action in many countries including South America. Its disastrous dead end in the African context has been chronicled by many respectable economists and Nobel laureates and PM Meles Zenawi proposes an alternative approach to get out of this dilemma.
He argues that the state should not be restricted to protecting individual and property rights in the form of services like the Police, Judiciary, Prison and Military (Night Watchman State), but must actively participate in the social and economic development of its citizens. Letting the market do its wonders has wondered off the target for too long. He proposes a paradigm shift (major change in certain thought patterns) to create a proper blend of norms, values and rules for a needed accelerated economic growth and social transformation. He refers to this as a Democratic Developmentalist Paradigm and backs it up with an impressive argument for the establishment of a dynamic agrarian democracy, much like the one advocated by Thomas Jefferson and help it evolve into a mature urban democracy.
He proposes to convince the developed countries to put their money where their mouth is. In this age of globalization where African countries are important as sources of transnational security threats, a breeding ground for drug trafficking and killer diseases as well as hundreds of thousands of refugees generated by failing states, it behooves the developed world to invest in his win-win proposal. He points out that pulling Africa out of its misery and into a successful democratic development will be in their basic economic interest.
PM Meles goes into specific steps to follow to accomplish this, like removing the vertical linkages of patronage in the rural areas, political reforms to remove the predatory state (rulers extract tax for their own use) and overcome rural marketing problems, promote civic engagement through horizontal networks and associations, promote civic virtues and democratic pluralism including religious and ethnic pluralism. Although the skeptics may question his methods, he strongly believes that is where the NGOs and donors (FDI) should direct their resources.
Not only does he believe that the doctrine of "There Is No Alternative (TINA)" be replaced by "There Are Thousands of Alternatives (TATA)" precept, but that his highly articulated vision is the best among such alternatives and with the right leadership that works toward a global and a solid domestic developmental coalition, the African state can be rebuilt and the pervasive rent-seeking phenomenon drastically reduced.
PM Meles expostulates convincingly that in an environment where most (3/4) of the agricultural production is non–tradable and leads to low income, production constraints and limited growth of rural farm and non-farm income is the rule. He proposes a mechanism for removing this demand constraint through increased productivity through technological change and decreasing transaction costs. This in turn will lead to greater sale outside the locality in greater volume and/or value which boosts farm income. The non-farm activities will get a shot in the arm and further increase demand for agricultural products completing this virtuous (not vicious) cycle. To break the dead end that has been made worse by the failed neo-liberal agenda, PM Meles proposes a massive investment in rural physical infrastructure, in market support institutions, in institutions for technological capability accumulation and government intervention to save agriculture for the credit crunch ( a state in which there is a short supply of cash to lend to businesses and consumers and interest rates are high) that it finds itself in.
He chronicles how financial institutions have failed to perform their task of mobilizing savings and directing them toward profitable investments. He goes on to detail the issue of high interest rates, high incidence of non-performing loans, excess liquidity and low savings to accounts that has made them risk averse because they are operating almost in the dark. The absence of tax returns, proper audit reports or the absence of proper information on businesses has made them skittish about loans to ordinary businesses or the average guy. The financial sector liberalization as advocated by the neo-liberal dogma did little to resolve the problem and Meles believes that it contributed even more to the above dilemma. The liquidity in some banks was so excessive that some banks have been known to turn away savers.
Beginning with his belief that agriculture is the engine of growth, PM Meles writes that rather than a mere liberalization of agricultural products markets, equitable distribution of assets in the rural areas plays a critical role in accelerating agricultural development and structural transformation. The role of equitable asset distribution in accelerating the growth of technology, building linkage with other disciplines and accumulation of social capital which in turn accelerates development is beautifully contrasted with the neo-liberal theory that asserts that pareto efficiency (given a set of alternative allocations of, say, goods or income for a set of individuals, a movement from one allocation to another that can make at least one individual better off without making any other individual worse off) is neutral vis-à-vis equity.
In the context of reforming the agricultural sector, Meles writes about very high transportation costs, fragmented and oligopolistic (monopoly, dominance) private sector marketing that causes high transaction costs and low productivity that must be combated to increase trade volumes rather than deregulation and liberalization of markets which has failed miserably.
Arguably, PM Meles believes that vicious circles and poverty traps that these states face can only be removed by state action, provided we believe that development is a political process first and economic and social process later. He believes in the creation of a political set-up that is conductive to accelerated development.
This is where his political talent shines through. Starting with a consensus on the rule of the game, he explains why it is important to involve people to actively participate in public affairs. This builds social capital, politics is not taken as a zero-sum game and flourishes democratically relatively free of rent-seeking and patronage. That is why he argues for the need for stability and continuity of policy if there is to be sustained and accelerated economic growth and that such stability can be achieved through long-term coalitions which stay in power for a long period but do so by democratic means.
For PM Meles, that coalition building starts with the rural agriculture-dependent population which will be responsible for much of the work of accelerated growth. Whether through his socialist leanings, his acute understanding of the economic miracle in South East Asia or his long leadership experience, Meles strongly believes in the peasant, which has historically been the victim, as the bedrock of a stable developmental and political coalition force. By building rural infrastructure, spreading primary education, introducing the peasant to new technologies and commercialized farming, and also sowing the seeds of participatory democracy, PM Meles believes that a stable democracy can emerge even in a poor country and can be governed democratically.
He does not rule out the urban middle class and labor from this endeavor. On the contrary, he believes that this group could also be members of this coalition. Although this group has been known to benefit form patronage and rent-seeking, he argues in their favor by noting that they are easy to organize, more democratic in their orientation and will benefit from job creation in the context of accelerated growth that is broadly equitable.
I see a close relationship with this philosophy and with what EPRDF is trying to do to change the social structure in the rural areas to establish a solid base for a stable and politically strong developmental coalition. The upcoming elections are a work in progress in that direction. It behooves Ethiopian political opposition groups to understand this man very clearly and articulate an alternative vision for the country if they disagree with him, or stop wringing their fingers and join his efforts in tandem. Their zero-sum politics, as he likes to call it, or run to third parties to wedge complaints and accusations (sic HR2003) is not going to get them any closer to the people or renew their badly bruised political clout.
When PM talks about the African Renaissance and the need for a Paradigm Shift, he does not implicate the neo-liberal agenda for causing the dysfunctional economy and abject poverty of Africa, but blames it for making it worse.
With a need for building rural infrastructure including roads, irrigation and water harvesting facilities and capacity building, he emphasizes the need for attracting productive FDI (Foreign Direct Investment) while demanding a long-term non-reciprocal access to developed country markets to overcome the pervasive market failures in Africa.
PM Meles bases his arguments on all the above observations and taps a lot from the experience of some East Asian countries. His own personal experience and dedication to see the establishment of a healthy democratic pluralism of a broadly based agrarian democracy that is capable of evolving into a mature urban-based democracy is to be applauded.
This may be just a draft for a PhD thesis in Economics, but he has already won me over with his clear understanding of the economic and political dilemma that African states face and makes me proud to know that he is at the helm of the Ethiopian state steering it in the right direction.
I tip my hat off for all his efforts and I am proud and glad he is one of our own.
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Sunday, March 9, 2008
Sheik Mohammed Al Amoudi, Ethiopia's Eternal Love
An English Translation by Washera_2000
March 2008
We human beings are created in this world to live our assigned life both in happiness and sorrow. So what is the secret behind the differences in our nature and character? What is the measure of our success? Just like the differences in our creation, our interpretations of the world we live in are also different. This world has allowed us to see a lot and learn a lot. Most of all, we know that those who are blessed are the ones who are the first to come to the service of their country and their people. These are the people who leave their good deeds etched in gold to live from generation to generation. In our present world, there are very few people who can exhibit that degree of dedication. Among those few generous people, Ethiopia has produced one of its own such individual by the name of Sheik Mohammed Hussein Al Amoudi. In this short video, we will take just a piece of his magnificent life and try to present it to you.
Born to this famine-stricken and destitute country, where misery and disease have ruled for centuries, Sheik Mohammed Hussein Al Amoudi was able to rise out of this misery, to be among the few richest people on the face of this planet, and also bring respect and hope to Ethiopia.
Born in Dessie and raised in Woldia, Sheik Mohammed Hussein Al Amoudi presently is the richest black man on earth. The 2007 Forbes magazine puts his total assets at eight billion dollars and ranks him at number 86, among the world's billionaires. Such is Sheik Mohammed Hussein Al Amoudi's status that he brings pride to Ethiopia and allows our flag to fly wherever he is honored.
However, unlike many of these billionaires, worldly luxuries have not spoiled him and tempted him to stay away from the misery of his country of birth. He did not turn his back to the diseased and the poor of his Ethiopia. When the time came, he made his pilgrimage back to Ethiopia to fulfill his promise. He came back with the wealth that he had amassed over a period of many years through hard work. Most of all, he had packed abundant, limitless love for his motherland. This is all a new history for the new Ethiopia. This amazing journey starts right here in the old town of Woldia.
Woldia, the town that nurtured and blessed this national treasure of a man, is located in Northern Wollo zone, about 520km from Addis Ababa. Nowadays, the town is bustling with activity and growing left and right. So we asked this lively town several questions. How did you raise Sheik Mohammed Al Amoudi? Who did he rough it up with while growing up? Where did he go to school? And later on where, how, when did you send him away? Woldia opened up its arms wide and invited us to view its surroundings from the comfortable view of its famous land mark, Mt Kore and we saw it all.
One of his childhood friends Wale Mekonnen:
" That Mosque you see in the distance is the location of Mohammed's childhood home. That neighborhood is called Mugad and the area around Kore is called Islam Kebele. He lived there with his parents while going to school at Taitu Butul School. In those days, it was all forest, no homes, very quiet and we came here in groups of 3 or 4 to study. Now, this area has been urbanized and is called Addis Alem (New World), where government officials and other civil servants reside. That flat open area below us is called Mechare Meda. This is a famous landmark and MIDROC calls one of its business neighborhoods by this name. The other landmark you see way out there is Dashen Bank. The people that lived where the new bank was built, were moved to new homes built in what is called MIDROC Neighborhood. They are happy campers!"
We take you now to the childhood home of Sheik Mohammed. Most of the homes are still the same. Sheik Mohammed's parents were business people. They had two connected houses, one for living quarters and the other for their garment business. So, who were his parents? What was their life like?
Their old neighbor, now a town elder, Haji Siraj Adem says this:
"The father of Sheik Mohammed is Sheik Hussein Ali Al Amoudi. His mother is called Rukia Mohammed Yasin. Both were very generous people. The father helped poor people all the time. When a poor man comes to his shop he knows him from a distance and goes to a drawer where he keeps money and just takes out a handful without looking at the amount and hands it to the beggar, pretending like he was shaking his hand. In our religion, you left hand is not supposed to see what your right hand does and that is what we would see him do time and again, as we worked alongside him in the garment shop. So that was what the father was like, always helping the poor.
"His mother had her own special ways. She would ask us to buy sheep for her. She will have it killed and divide the meat in several portions. She will then hide some cash and salt blocks inside the meat and ask us to deliver it to the elderly men and women in the entire neighborhood. She did this regularly.
"Their children are, Sheik Mohammed, brothers Seid, Hassen, Abdella, and Salih and his sisters Tuiba, Nur and Fitum. As the saying goes, the good deeds of his parents have crossed over to the children. God has created them to be useful to humanity."
Very close to Sheik Mohammed's house is the one that belongs to his childhood friend, Mr. Melaku Beza. He tells us about his memories as follows:
" Our neighborhood is Mugar. Growing up with Mohammed meant we walked to school together every morning. We will have our school and our fun all day and walk back from school together. We continued to be together late into the evenings too. In fact, there were these two rocks across from their shop and most evenings we would sit on those rocks and chat and laugh about our day in school, in the moonlight or even in the dark, since there was no electricity. During the day, we played soccer with balls made of cloth or plastic. We had fields lined by eucalypts trees where we played soccer after school.
"Mohammed loved soccer. He was also very good in Math. I think his ability to memorize all these phone numbers throughout the world is because of his Math ability. Even then, he never used a paper and a pencil to do Math problems. He did them all in his head. We were classmates until the eighth grade. "
This is the Etege Taitu Elementary school that was established in 1948. Sheik Mohammed Hussein Al Amoudi finished elementary school here. At that time, this school auditorium was a famous land mark in Wolida. On Saturdays and Sundays this auditorium fills up to standing room only with people who come to see shows and musical events. And young Mohammed was a famous drummer of the music band. To this day, if he sees a drum he does not pass it.
"This house was the residence of the school director, the Indian Mr. Vias. It has since become a reading room. The current Director, Mr. Mamo Alemayehu has this to say.
" At present, I serve as the school Director for Etege Taitu Bitul full cycle Elementary school. In this school, we have 60 teachers, 5 administrative stuff and 2333 full-time students in 33 classrooms. Since we cannot accommodate every one, we teach in shifts. This has been all possible because of the huge generosity of Sheik Mohammed Al Amoudi. The building was falling apart and the fields had become cattle fields. Now, you see the buildings renovated and a large concrete wall surrounds the school. In the name of the school and myself, I would like to send my sincere thanks to Sheik Mohammed."
We asked Etege Taitu Bitul School our last question. Do you have any concrete evidence of Mohammed Hussein's life with you? From a safe drawer came out this antique looking old ledger book. Written so very crisply, was the names of all the students treated between 1957 and 1962, by the school's medical officer, Aba Fenta Gebre. So, the Taitu Bitul of old still lives on with its memories. But that famous Woldia auditorium is no more. In its place stands the new Woldia Cultural Center, all paid for by Sheik Mohammed Hussein Al Amoudi.
Down the street from Sheik Mohammed's childhood home is the home of his other friend Alem Chekole. He continues the story thus:
"Mohammed has been an activist for a long time. Many people follow him. He has many friends and some follow him to learn from him. Even in school, he had many friends that he helped and some even lived with him. His parents were well to do even then. They had a two-door house; one for living quarters the other for their garment business. Their garment shop also provided burning oil, eating oil, and building material for the entire area.
Any way, one thing I remember distinctly is his love for music. We had these University teachers who came on a national service program to teach us. Among them, I remember Gash Jami Mabi, Solomon Gebre Kristos, and Tsega Zeab Gebre Tatios. These people did not only teach us, but organized us into groups to play soccer and musical instruments. One of these teachers had a Clarinet and with the accompaniment of Jazz instruments and Masinko by a student called Mesfin Kassu, we made great music. Mohammed enjoyed playing in the band and loved that clarinet so much that he bought it for himself when the teachers left. "
Sheik Mohammed Hussein Al Amoudi continues to help Selam School too. The Director of the school:
"This school was built by Sheik Mohammed Hussein Al Amoudi. The school provides elementary school education from grade 1 to grade 8. We have 1,200 students at this school and we are preparing to open grades 9 and 10 next year. We also provide education at Fetah Elementary School for 300 students, for a total of 1,500 students. In addition, we have over 42 feeder schools around Woldia and in the countryside. These schools provide education for 6,000 students ".
Among the famous buildings built by Sheik Mohammed Hussein Al Amoudi in our country, Nani Building is one of them. This beautifully exquisite building was designed by Architect Habte Gebriel Habte Selassie who is an old friend of Sheik Mohammed Hussein Al Amoudi, and who has made a name for himself in the process.
"This is a big undertaking. When Sheik Mohammed gave me this opportunity, I accepted it with great excitement and anticipation. Located at the entrance of the Ghion hotel, it is a 21-story master piece that shows his knowledge and understanding of architecture. It has also given me fame and fortune. His important place has allowed us to be known and our profession to be respected. In building this tower, Mohammed has allowed me to reflect his respect for humanity and my own inner feelings about my work. I have done the same with the Volvo Exhibition tower and the Sara Electric Bulb Company".
After completing 8th grade, Sheik Mohammed Hussein Al Amoudi headed to Weizero Sihin Secondary School in Dessie. After that, he travels to Saudi Arabia and we witness the beginnings of his amazing business success. After completing his education in Saudi Arabia, Sheik Mohammed Hussein Al Amoudi went directly into the construction and real estate business where he first made a name for himself. He grew quickly and diversified into Oil, minerals, agriculture, hotel and tourism and engineering fields. He laid down an investment network in Great Britain, USA, and Scandinavian countries, Eastern Europe, Greece, Middle East, Asia and Africa.
The two major investment arms are the Coral Group and the MIDROC Group and between them employ over 40, 000 people. The MIDROC Group is divided into three parts as MIDROC Europe, MIDROC Middle East and MIDROC Ethiopia and is making significant contributions in the growth and development of these countries and in the improvement of the lives of their peoples. The Coral Group is making huge investments in Europe, Middle East, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Africa, Angola, Morocco and Scandinavian countries including ownership of the Swedish Prem Petroleum Company. Prem Petroleum is the largest petroleum company in Sweden and provides ¾ of the refined oil needs of the country and ¼ of the needs of the other Nordic countries. Since 2005, Sheik Mohammed Hussein Al Amoudi himself chairs the board of Prem Petroleum and closely guides its progress. This shows how much attention he gives to these investments and as a result, the sales of Prem Petroleum in 2006 were 67.4 billion Kroger.
Prem Petroleum is the owner of two huge oil refineries. These are Premraf Lyski and Premraf Guttenberg. These two refineries have no equal in the world in their cutting edge technology. Between them, they produce 15 million tones of refined oil every year. In addition, these companies lead the refinery work in Morocco and gas and oil explorations in West Africa and North Sea shores.
These major investments are led by Svenska Petroleum Exploration A.B., which is also involved in oil and gas production in Angola, Cote de Voir, Norway and Great Britain. Svenska Petroleum Exploration A.B. is 100% the property of the Swedish Petroleum Company, but all these world-wide investments belong to Sheik Mohammed Hussein Al Amoudi. Because of these and other investments, Sheik Mohammed Hussein Al Amoudi is the major foreign investor in Sweden. In return, King Karl Gustav of Sweden has bestowed on him, the great Royal Order of the Polar Star medal, twice.
MIDROC Europe continues its investment in property development, newer technology areas, in consulting and contracting areas in Scandinavian countries and especially in Germany, France, Poland and Great Britain. This has resulted in its turn over in the past several years to surpass 3.8 billion Kroger. It employs over 2,000 people and continues to expand.
The Middle East part of the MIDROC Global Group is showing tremendous activity in the area of engineering, communication, oil production and trade. As a result it employs over 24,000 people of different nationalities. Its annual turnover has also risen to over 9 billion Kroger.
It is not going to be possible to try to document the world-wide investments of Sheik Mohammed Hussein Al Amoudi in a short video like this. He leads his business by traveling to Europe, America, Middle East and Africa, which adds up to bring him in equal standing to the worlds billionaires. Because his investments have included the development of countries and helping people, he has received many awards throughout the world.
Sheik Mohammed Hussein Al Amoudi travels the world to fulfill his commitments. As a result, he has built many residences in several countries. Because he does most of his work in the air, he has seven different size jet airplanes. He criss crosses the vast oceans with modern luxury liners and speedy yachts. It is the wealth accumulated through such hard work that he decided to come home to Ethiopia with.
After his arrival in Ethiopia, Sheik Mohammed Hussein Al Amoudi started laying down the foundation for developing Ethiopia in different areas. But, before anything else, however, to draw the world's attention to Ethiopia, he built a world famous hotel, the Sheraton Addis. Hence, Sheraton Addis became the symbol for a bright new future for Ethiopia.
Sheik Mohammed Hussein Al Amoudi:
"We have a rich history, our climate is good and the scenery is beautiful. Even though it took us a long time to build this hotel in the capital of Africa, in Addis Ababa, you can see the result by yourselves. Even if I don't tell you how much it cost us, you will understand when you go around and see for yourselves. Up until now, the workers and myself have worked hard on this project. From today on, it belongs to all of you, to receive your guests and for your own entertainment and relaxation".
After that, Ethiopia truly captured the fascination and attention of the world. Before long, Addis Forum conferences were being held at the Sheraton that attracted famous world leaders and businessmen. The wishes of Sheik Mohammed Hussein Al Amoudi were fulfilled. Our country became the central hub of Black Africans.
Why do we say that Sheik Mohammed Hussein Al Amoudi is the exemplar son of Ethiopia, the redeemer, the benefactor? It is because he has built over 30 different companies worth billions of dollars to help in the basic infrastructure that has given a new possibility of growth and development for a new Ethiopia. The wealth he has poured on this country is not one he will benefit from in his life time. But in our countries history, he will be remembered as a martyr who paid the price for the success of our countries vision.
Dr. Arega Yirdaw, CEO of MIDROC Ethiopia tells it this way:
"The family of Mohammed Hussein Al Amoudi has invested in over 30 companies in this country. I was given the opportunity to run 14 of these as a holding company, for the first time in the history of this country. This is not only very challenging in terms of running the companies, but also in teaching people the kind of management leadership required to accomplish such a task. Sheik Mohammed's investment in Ethiopia is not only a profit based investment, but also a human investment. It is an investment based on guaranteeing people a job that will bring food to their children and afford them an education. MIDROC has had a huge contribution in this area and the country has been greatly rewarded.
When we look at the overall investment of MIDROC, we have over 15,000 employees. If you multiply this with the family members that are supported by these employees, the numbers are over 60,000. I manage over 50% of the investment and I have over 6,000 employees under me. The investment areas are highly diversified to include mining, agro-industry, real estate, factories, security and protection companies. When we look at all the investments of Sheik Mohammed, it includes several sectors like hotel, health, education and agriculture.
"MIDROC Ethiopia is a Sheik Mohammed and family investment. It is a home boy investment. It is a slightly different investment. Our focus is primarily on the employee. Which means, we are focusing on ways our employees can benefit from their job through education, through making sure their children are fed and educated? Just like the Ethiopianization of the Ethiopian Airlines, we want to prepare our employees and their children to run these companies. It is an investment not based just on profit making, but on their health and their future. That is why we are moving ahead with a healthy, happy and proud work force as we expand the economic scope of our country. Sheik Mohammed would rather see a lazy employee moved to a less demanding job or retired with full pay to support his family rather than being fired. If Sheik Mohammed hears that an employee was dismissed without pay, I think he will be distressed a lot.
"This is the kind of investment I am talking about. In one sense, many don't understand it, in another sense it has resulted in attracting more investment in our country. Other investors can pack up and leave if their adventure is not profitable. Sheik Mohammed and family have no such inclination. Their investment comes from the heart and is here to stay for good. There is only one thing I want to say to Mohammed. Continue what you are doing without wavering in your path. Continue your love for your family, your friends, your country like always, without any regrets. There is a certain belief in our country that eulogizes some one after they have passed away instead of honoring them while they are still alive. We have changed that in our company. We identify hard working and successful individuals and compensate them and thank them on the spot. So, we pray to the Almighty God for Sheik Mohammed's long and healthy life, to continue to help his friends and his country and keep enjoying himself while doing it".
In addition to this, Sheik Mohammed Al Amoudi is the first one to respond when natural disasters hit, by being the right hand of development organizations in the different regions of the country. Beyond development, would it be too much to say that he has a pure and loving heart which worries for the well-being of all those he comes in contact with, paving the way for their contribution to our universal success?"
"My own personal story starts with a chance encounter that I had with him when he dropped by at my office to make a phone call. My boss, the General Manager of Sheraton Addis was out of the country and I proceeded to open his office for him. Sheik Mohammed refused that and said, "No, let me sit here with you and make my call". I gave him the phone. He proceeded to ask me about my health and my children. I told him I only have one child and all I do is to educate her and do everything for her. He looked at me and said, "From today on, don't worry about her. I will pay for her education". At that moment, I felt like God had just descended from heaven into my life because, I was so desperate at that time. Well, after that, I was able to take her to the United State all expenses paid and enrolled her at the George Mason University in Virginia. She graduated with honors in Biology and joined the Howard University Medical School, in Washington D.C. She will graduate in two years, God willing. In short, he educated one doctor for Ethiopia. I would like to thank Sheik Mohammed from the bottom of my heart for changing my life and my daughter's life. I wish him and his entire family a long life, health, love, peace and happiness."
Sheik Mohammed Hussein Al Amoudi asks all those he sends abroad for education to promise to come back and serve their country. One such Ethiopian is Meron Mengistu. Meron will graduate next year with a doctorate degree in Molecular Biology. Sheik Mohammed believes that the future of Ethiopia is in the hands of its educated youth. To that end, his commitment and support to youth organizations and individuals is boundless. Here are the comments by some of these young entrepreneurs who benefited from his help.
Young women:
"Addis Coffee is a four year old organization. It was established with the help of Sheik Mohammed Hussein Al Amoudi. We started with one and we now have five branches and the expansion will continue. With his help, I was able to start the business with 30 employees. I now have 275 employees. "Your dream is to help the young to succeed. Your dream is coming true. We are helping ourselves and helping others. We attribute our success to your generosity. I pray to God for your health and long life".
A young man:
"My line of work is in renting construction equipment. We have a lot of employees who drive heavy trucks and thanks to Sheik Mohammed, our business is growing rapidly. In the name of my employees, my family and myself, I wish him a long and healthy life".
Another young man:
"I have listened to many of his speeches on many occasions. His speeches focus on the youth of our country. He wants to see the youth changed so as to change our country. I wish every one had the opportunity that I had".
Another young man:
"What I believe to be the dream of Sheik Mohammed Hussein Al Amoudi is to leave a successful youth for the next generation. That is what I heard from his speeches. He wishes he could help all. He is not one who lives at a distance or feared and avoided because of his beard or his wealth. He is a down to earth human being with good intentions for us all. Those of us who are lucky enough to get his help will continue to work hard and also help others in the process to make his dream come true."
To protect the honor and dignity of our country and not let her poverty interfere with her central place as Africa's capital, Sheik Mohammed Hussein Al Amoudi has fulfilled his obligations and stands as a national treasure. This is what he had to say at the opening ceremony of Sheraton Addis:
"I would like to thank everybody who supported us with this place. This is a gift from my country to the whole of Africa. This is a gift to the whole continent of Africa. It will stay that way and we will keep it that way."
In the area of sports, Sheik Mohammed Hussein Al Amoudi has not hesitated to pour his wealth to make Ethiopia the owner of a new history in the making. Beyond helping individual sports people and our national teams, Sheik Mohammed has sponsored the Middle and East African cup for three consecutive years. He has received recognition and multiple awards for his world-wide participation in humanitarian activities. Among these are the gold medal he received from Seth Platter of the Federation of International Football Association and the honorary doctorate degree bestowed on him by the Addis Ababa University.
"I focus more on satisfaction rather than profit making at the expense of my fellow citizens. This perhaps is the main reason why most of my advisors and business associates tell me that I do invest particularly in Ethiopia and in Africa with my heart. Let me tell you a small story. In 1985, my partners came to my office in Riyadh and they said to me "let us invest in Paris and other places." I said Paris is far away. I am telling you this is 20 years ago. I said I would like to start in Africa. They said, "why Africa? There is no stability, there is no peace." I said to them I want to be there first. When other investors come, they open the door and they see me there. Either they join me or they fight me."
We have tried to highlight only a few of the endless love and contributions that this great Ethiopians has made to his country. The number of young people abroad getting their education, the number he has helped with wedding expenses, the many he has pulled out of misery and destitution to success and self sufficiency is countless.
One of the civil servants of Sheik Mohammed's humanitarian concerns says;
"His humanitarian aid extends to the old, the weak and the sick. As a person involved in doing the paper work and arranging the transportation of the sick going for treatment to America, Bangkok or South Africa, I have witnessed the miraculous cure and turn around in the lives of many of these patients. I see Sheik Mohammed as a gift to his country sent to us by the Almighty God."
That is why we repeatedly applaud him and this truth and his story will be etched in the history of our land for ever. In the new Ethiopia, his noble deeds will be passed from generation to generation without losing its flavor. Beyond that, can we thank him enough or be satisfied with any kind of gift?
In our introduction, we had asked about what yardstick to use to measure his generosity. As we conclude our video, we wished that Ethiopia had the ability to voice its opinion. If you say why, it is because we are fragile beings who are bright one moment and gone the next. Instead, we wanted the eternal earth to be the witness. However, we still elected to hear from those who can articulate their story more succinctly.
Because we lack a Heart Center in our country, many young lives have been lost unnecessarily and many more are counting their days. Heart disease in children is especially mean. To combat this, one patriotic Ethiopian starts out with a dream to do something about it. His name is Dr. Belay Abegaz.
" When I first met Sheik Mohammed 18 years ago, he said, "Are you Dr. Belay? Is that you? I have heard a lot about you. I don't know when, but some day I will help you, I will help you well. Take care. Work hard." I said to him, I was doing a simple thing. Even my office is made of a container that I begged for. Since we don't have money, we can't afford to rent. I told him that I did not want to use the money I collected begging to go for rent. He said, " Listen, and let me tell you something. Starting from a house whose ceiling and wall were corrugated iron and the floor dirt, one can achieve greatness." He told me the name of such a person. I made a mental note of that. God willing, in the year 2007, we were able to open the first world class Heart Center here in Ethiopia, while still working from our container offices."
Twelve years ago Mr. Benyam Tilahun, let me mention his name, had gone and told Sheik Mohammed about my plan to take some Ethiopian singers to the US to raise money for my Heart Center. He let me to talk to him on the phone. I told him my plans. He said, "by the way, how much money do you need?". I told him two million dollars. He laughed at me. He said, "You can't build a hospital with two million dollars. I will give you two million dollars. When you need more I will give you more. But, let me tell you something. Go ahead and do your begging abroad. If you have to beg, beg for medical equipment, not money for building a hospital. We Ethiopians should be the ones to build the hospital."
I can in no way pay back for the support I received form the Ethiopian people. But, there are Ethiopians with at least one child. So I started a campaign to raise one dollar for one heart to raise at least 25 million dollars. Sheik Mohammed, in addition to the 8 million he had given me before, he gave me 25 million more just a few days ago. That is a total of 33 million. In addition, most of his organizations in the country gave me 3, 4, 5 million dollars. That makes the gross total to close to 40 million dollars. At a minimum, Sheik Mohammed has paid for 40 million families of my One Dollar for One Heart project. He has made me proud of my people and allowed me to see my dream come true before I die. It has been 28 years in the making and 25 years since my travails began and Sheik Mohammed has made it a reality. Mohammed has stood beside his Ethiopians. Any one who does such good deeds for children is one loved by the Lord. It is not money, it is not wealth. May God allow him to stand beside Him. May God pay him back in kind. I am not the one saying this. It is the children who have become beneficiaries of his generosity. Because of him, our country has become equal to the rest of the world. Let me just digress a little and mention that the only country with a population of 80 million that did not have a heart center was Ethiopia. I can only thank him in the name of these children or else I have no right to talk about this. May their God find him a place next to Himself. I have no other wish for him"
Professor Yonas Kinfe has been serving his country in his profession for over 40 years.
" I describe his help as a "soft" help. It is about preventing immigration out of the country and bringing home those who have immigrated and it is much bigger advantageous for the country than these edifices and construction investments. I would not have been able to expand into research and to travel the world and participate in international forums, if it were not for his tremendous encouragement and financing. This is an investment that is not conspicuous, but prevents brain drain. Sheik Mohammed has allowed me to proudly serve my country and help myself in this profession.
"The other chapter of my life is about my health. Last year, I lost my vision because of retinal detachment. At a time when retirement income is not even sufficient for day to day expenses, Sheik Mohammed came to my rescue and I was sent for an emergency surgery at a world renowned center and gained back my vision. What else can I say other than thank you? There is nothing you can give him in return. May God bless him with more. And that is why He will give him more."
Sheik Mohammed laid the foundation for the history of our musical king, Tilahun Gessese, which would have otherwise been lost and forgotten. Every time Tilahun fell ill, Sheik Mohammed was always there for him. And we continue to have our now fragile Tilahun Gessese.
"He allowed me to be with you now. He is my right hand, my mother and father, my brother and my friend. I have no words to say about him when you ask me. My life was going to be cut short. He came and saved me. I am able to sit, eat, talk and walk, all because of him. I wish him and his family plenty of healthy years."
Bethlehem Abebe is a 27 year old young woman. She was only six months shy of a Sociology degree from Addis Ababa University and her family was preparing for a grand graduation when she suddenly fell ill and started a long fight for her life.
" My problem was with my immune system. My immune system is very aggressive not only to diseases, but also towards my own organs. At one point, I was very sick and in a delirious state, they tell me that I referred to him as my uncle. I truly thank him."
Her Father: " For me, this was something completely unexpected. I had lost hope and had given up. I was waiting for the day when I would carry her to her grave. God had another miracle for me. May he not show me his illness. May I pass away before him. He does not know me, but this is what humanitarian help means. My wish is to meet him some day and thank him in the name of my family. May God bless all that He has given you."
There was no Ethiopian that was not shocked and angered by a horrifying incident that happened to a young girl. Her name is Kamilia Mehadi. She was sent to France by Sheik Mohammed to get a very specialized medical treatment. We were able to talk to her while she was on a brief visit to Ethiopia to see her parents.
"When the doctors saw my picture, they assured me that they will make me much better. What they have done now is just an emergency procedure. I am here to visit my parents. When I go back they will put me back to what I looked before this accident. Sheik Mohammed saved my life and the lives of my family. There is nothing I lack while I am getting treatment. I also get a chance to come and visit my family in between. I don't know how to express my happiness with all this generosity. May Allah reward him for this. My parents and I will always remember him in our daily prayers. May he live a long and healthy life."
And the father says:
"When all that poisonous acid was poured on her body and was burning her and tormenting her beyond belief, Sheik Mohammed came to her rescue. Alhamdulilah! I have no words to express his kindness. He has arrived for her like St. Gabriel to cure her. Alhamdulilah, may the Almighty prolong his life."
And her mother says:
" I told the doctors to take skin from my face and use it for her. They took a piece for testing and told me it does not match. I tried everything to help. Finally, I thought about taking my own life by drinking poison. They told me I was loosing my mind and I was in constant pain. I raised her and put her through school and then this happens. If it were not for Sheik Mohammed's help I would have lost her. He saved all of Ethiopia, not just us. My Allah give him health and long life."
Sofanit Debalke was an Ethiopian beauty working as a hostess with the Ethiopian Airlines. While on vacation to visit her family in America, she came face to face with an unexpected horror of her life, breast cancer! She lost hope. She said farewell to her parents and came back home to count her last days. Sheik Mohammed heard about the ordeals of this young lady and came to her aid.
" As we all know the name itself is very scary. After that fact, I never knew there was a chance for a life. I cried a lot. I had children and I was very sad to realize that I could not remain a mother to them. Sheik Mohammed, my gratitude is so great that I can't thank you enough. May you and your children live long and happy. May God bless you."
Hiwot Yeyesuswork is a mother, who suddenly found herself with breast cancer. All her dreams were coming to an end when Sheik Mohammed showed up in her life. When we met her, she was unable to express her feelings, her pleasures. Her eldest daughter, Belen Legesse, a second year Addis Ababa University student was beside her and came to her rescue.
" It was a Saturday morning when she called me and showed me this lump in her breast. I was panic-stricken, but I reassured her and told her she will be OK. She was tested the following Tuesday and she came home with the devastating news. I had heard about cervical cancer before. I never suspected such a day will come into my family. I had lost hope completely. I never thought I would see the day where she would be sitting next to me like this. It is because of him that this happened. If she were not here, I would not have continued my education. Being the eldest in the family, I would have taken up many household responsibilities. And my mother was not only a mother to me, she is my best friend too. I have hope now and I have her next to me, thanks to Sheik Mohammed. I thank him sincerely in the name of my father and all of my family. I have nothing else to say. He did the unexpected for me. He gave me back my mother. I don't know how else to thank him."
Sheik Mohammed, may Allah bless you.
March 2008
We human beings are created in this world to live our assigned life both in happiness and sorrow. So what is the secret behind the differences in our nature and character? What is the measure of our success? Just like the differences in our creation, our interpretations of the world we live in are also different. This world has allowed us to see a lot and learn a lot. Most of all, we know that those who are blessed are the ones who are the first to come to the service of their country and their people. These are the people who leave their good deeds etched in gold to live from generation to generation. In our present world, there are very few people who can exhibit that degree of dedication. Among those few generous people, Ethiopia has produced one of its own such individual by the name of Sheik Mohammed Hussein Al Amoudi. In this short video, we will take just a piece of his magnificent life and try to present it to you.
Born to this famine-stricken and destitute country, where misery and disease have ruled for centuries, Sheik Mohammed Hussein Al Amoudi was able to rise out of this misery, to be among the few richest people on the face of this planet, and also bring respect and hope to Ethiopia.
Born in Dessie and raised in Woldia, Sheik Mohammed Hussein Al Amoudi presently is the richest black man on earth. The 2007 Forbes magazine puts his total assets at eight billion dollars and ranks him at number 86, among the world's billionaires. Such is Sheik Mohammed Hussein Al Amoudi's status that he brings pride to Ethiopia and allows our flag to fly wherever he is honored.
However, unlike many of these billionaires, worldly luxuries have not spoiled him and tempted him to stay away from the misery of his country of birth. He did not turn his back to the diseased and the poor of his Ethiopia. When the time came, he made his pilgrimage back to Ethiopia to fulfill his promise. He came back with the wealth that he had amassed over a period of many years through hard work. Most of all, he had packed abundant, limitless love for his motherland. This is all a new history for the new Ethiopia. This amazing journey starts right here in the old town of Woldia.
Woldia, the town that nurtured and blessed this national treasure of a man, is located in Northern Wollo zone, about 520km from Addis Ababa. Nowadays, the town is bustling with activity and growing left and right. So we asked this lively town several questions. How did you raise Sheik Mohammed Al Amoudi? Who did he rough it up with while growing up? Where did he go to school? And later on where, how, when did you send him away? Woldia opened up its arms wide and invited us to view its surroundings from the comfortable view of its famous land mark, Mt Kore and we saw it all.
One of his childhood friends Wale Mekonnen:
" That Mosque you see in the distance is the location of Mohammed's childhood home. That neighborhood is called Mugad and the area around Kore is called Islam Kebele. He lived there with his parents while going to school at Taitu Butul School. In those days, it was all forest, no homes, very quiet and we came here in groups of 3 or 4 to study. Now, this area has been urbanized and is called Addis Alem (New World), where government officials and other civil servants reside. That flat open area below us is called Mechare Meda. This is a famous landmark and MIDROC calls one of its business neighborhoods by this name. The other landmark you see way out there is Dashen Bank. The people that lived where the new bank was built, were moved to new homes built in what is called MIDROC Neighborhood. They are happy campers!"
We take you now to the childhood home of Sheik Mohammed. Most of the homes are still the same. Sheik Mohammed's parents were business people. They had two connected houses, one for living quarters and the other for their garment business. So, who were his parents? What was their life like?
Their old neighbor, now a town elder, Haji Siraj Adem says this:
"The father of Sheik Mohammed is Sheik Hussein Ali Al Amoudi. His mother is called Rukia Mohammed Yasin. Both were very generous people. The father helped poor people all the time. When a poor man comes to his shop he knows him from a distance and goes to a drawer where he keeps money and just takes out a handful without looking at the amount and hands it to the beggar, pretending like he was shaking his hand. In our religion, you left hand is not supposed to see what your right hand does and that is what we would see him do time and again, as we worked alongside him in the garment shop. So that was what the father was like, always helping the poor.
"His mother had her own special ways. She would ask us to buy sheep for her. She will have it killed and divide the meat in several portions. She will then hide some cash and salt blocks inside the meat and ask us to deliver it to the elderly men and women in the entire neighborhood. She did this regularly.
"Their children are, Sheik Mohammed, brothers Seid, Hassen, Abdella, and Salih and his sisters Tuiba, Nur and Fitum. As the saying goes, the good deeds of his parents have crossed over to the children. God has created them to be useful to humanity."
Very close to Sheik Mohammed's house is the one that belongs to his childhood friend, Mr. Melaku Beza. He tells us about his memories as follows:
" Our neighborhood is Mugar. Growing up with Mohammed meant we walked to school together every morning. We will have our school and our fun all day and walk back from school together. We continued to be together late into the evenings too. In fact, there were these two rocks across from their shop and most evenings we would sit on those rocks and chat and laugh about our day in school, in the moonlight or even in the dark, since there was no electricity. During the day, we played soccer with balls made of cloth or plastic. We had fields lined by eucalypts trees where we played soccer after school.
"Mohammed loved soccer. He was also very good in Math. I think his ability to memorize all these phone numbers throughout the world is because of his Math ability. Even then, he never used a paper and a pencil to do Math problems. He did them all in his head. We were classmates until the eighth grade. "
This is the Etege Taitu Elementary school that was established in 1948. Sheik Mohammed Hussein Al Amoudi finished elementary school here. At that time, this school auditorium was a famous land mark in Wolida. On Saturdays and Sundays this auditorium fills up to standing room only with people who come to see shows and musical events. And young Mohammed was a famous drummer of the music band. To this day, if he sees a drum he does not pass it.
"This house was the residence of the school director, the Indian Mr. Vias. It has since become a reading room. The current Director, Mr. Mamo Alemayehu has this to say.
" At present, I serve as the school Director for Etege Taitu Bitul full cycle Elementary school. In this school, we have 60 teachers, 5 administrative stuff and 2333 full-time students in 33 classrooms. Since we cannot accommodate every one, we teach in shifts. This has been all possible because of the huge generosity of Sheik Mohammed Al Amoudi. The building was falling apart and the fields had become cattle fields. Now, you see the buildings renovated and a large concrete wall surrounds the school. In the name of the school and myself, I would like to send my sincere thanks to Sheik Mohammed."
We asked Etege Taitu Bitul School our last question. Do you have any concrete evidence of Mohammed Hussein's life with you? From a safe drawer came out this antique looking old ledger book. Written so very crisply, was the names of all the students treated between 1957 and 1962, by the school's medical officer, Aba Fenta Gebre. So, the Taitu Bitul of old still lives on with its memories. But that famous Woldia auditorium is no more. In its place stands the new Woldia Cultural Center, all paid for by Sheik Mohammed Hussein Al Amoudi.
Down the street from Sheik Mohammed's childhood home is the home of his other friend Alem Chekole. He continues the story thus:
"Mohammed has been an activist for a long time. Many people follow him. He has many friends and some follow him to learn from him. Even in school, he had many friends that he helped and some even lived with him. His parents were well to do even then. They had a two-door house; one for living quarters the other for their garment business. Their garment shop also provided burning oil, eating oil, and building material for the entire area.
Any way, one thing I remember distinctly is his love for music. We had these University teachers who came on a national service program to teach us. Among them, I remember Gash Jami Mabi, Solomon Gebre Kristos, and Tsega Zeab Gebre Tatios. These people did not only teach us, but organized us into groups to play soccer and musical instruments. One of these teachers had a Clarinet and with the accompaniment of Jazz instruments and Masinko by a student called Mesfin Kassu, we made great music. Mohammed enjoyed playing in the band and loved that clarinet so much that he bought it for himself when the teachers left. "
Sheik Mohammed Hussein Al Amoudi continues to help Selam School too. The Director of the school:
"This school was built by Sheik Mohammed Hussein Al Amoudi. The school provides elementary school education from grade 1 to grade 8. We have 1,200 students at this school and we are preparing to open grades 9 and 10 next year. We also provide education at Fetah Elementary School for 300 students, for a total of 1,500 students. In addition, we have over 42 feeder schools around Woldia and in the countryside. These schools provide education for 6,000 students ".
Among the famous buildings built by Sheik Mohammed Hussein Al Amoudi in our country, Nani Building is one of them. This beautifully exquisite building was designed by Architect Habte Gebriel Habte Selassie who is an old friend of Sheik Mohammed Hussein Al Amoudi, and who has made a name for himself in the process.
"This is a big undertaking. When Sheik Mohammed gave me this opportunity, I accepted it with great excitement and anticipation. Located at the entrance of the Ghion hotel, it is a 21-story master piece that shows his knowledge and understanding of architecture. It has also given me fame and fortune. His important place has allowed us to be known and our profession to be respected. In building this tower, Mohammed has allowed me to reflect his respect for humanity and my own inner feelings about my work. I have done the same with the Volvo Exhibition tower and the Sara Electric Bulb Company".
After completing 8th grade, Sheik Mohammed Hussein Al Amoudi headed to Weizero Sihin Secondary School in Dessie. After that, he travels to Saudi Arabia and we witness the beginnings of his amazing business success. After completing his education in Saudi Arabia, Sheik Mohammed Hussein Al Amoudi went directly into the construction and real estate business where he first made a name for himself. He grew quickly and diversified into Oil, minerals, agriculture, hotel and tourism and engineering fields. He laid down an investment network in Great Britain, USA, and Scandinavian countries, Eastern Europe, Greece, Middle East, Asia and Africa.
The two major investment arms are the Coral Group and the MIDROC Group and between them employ over 40, 000 people. The MIDROC Group is divided into three parts as MIDROC Europe, MIDROC Middle East and MIDROC Ethiopia and is making significant contributions in the growth and development of these countries and in the improvement of the lives of their peoples. The Coral Group is making huge investments in Europe, Middle East, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Africa, Angola, Morocco and Scandinavian countries including ownership of the Swedish Prem Petroleum Company. Prem Petroleum is the largest petroleum company in Sweden and provides ¾ of the refined oil needs of the country and ¼ of the needs of the other Nordic countries. Since 2005, Sheik Mohammed Hussein Al Amoudi himself chairs the board of Prem Petroleum and closely guides its progress. This shows how much attention he gives to these investments and as a result, the sales of Prem Petroleum in 2006 were 67.4 billion Kroger.
Prem Petroleum is the owner of two huge oil refineries. These are Premraf Lyski and Premraf Guttenberg. These two refineries have no equal in the world in their cutting edge technology. Between them, they produce 15 million tones of refined oil every year. In addition, these companies lead the refinery work in Morocco and gas and oil explorations in West Africa and North Sea shores.
These major investments are led by Svenska Petroleum Exploration A.B., which is also involved in oil and gas production in Angola, Cote de Voir, Norway and Great Britain. Svenska Petroleum Exploration A.B. is 100% the property of the Swedish Petroleum Company, but all these world-wide investments belong to Sheik Mohammed Hussein Al Amoudi. Because of these and other investments, Sheik Mohammed Hussein Al Amoudi is the major foreign investor in Sweden. In return, King Karl Gustav of Sweden has bestowed on him, the great Royal Order of the Polar Star medal, twice.
MIDROC Europe continues its investment in property development, newer technology areas, in consulting and contracting areas in Scandinavian countries and especially in Germany, France, Poland and Great Britain. This has resulted in its turn over in the past several years to surpass 3.8 billion Kroger. It employs over 2,000 people and continues to expand.
The Middle East part of the MIDROC Global Group is showing tremendous activity in the area of engineering, communication, oil production and trade. As a result it employs over 24,000 people of different nationalities. Its annual turnover has also risen to over 9 billion Kroger.
It is not going to be possible to try to document the world-wide investments of Sheik Mohammed Hussein Al Amoudi in a short video like this. He leads his business by traveling to Europe, America, Middle East and Africa, which adds up to bring him in equal standing to the worlds billionaires. Because his investments have included the development of countries and helping people, he has received many awards throughout the world.
Sheik Mohammed Hussein Al Amoudi travels the world to fulfill his commitments. As a result, he has built many residences in several countries. Because he does most of his work in the air, he has seven different size jet airplanes. He criss crosses the vast oceans with modern luxury liners and speedy yachts. It is the wealth accumulated through such hard work that he decided to come home to Ethiopia with.
After his arrival in Ethiopia, Sheik Mohammed Hussein Al Amoudi started laying down the foundation for developing Ethiopia in different areas. But, before anything else, however, to draw the world's attention to Ethiopia, he built a world famous hotel, the Sheraton Addis. Hence, Sheraton Addis became the symbol for a bright new future for Ethiopia.
Sheik Mohammed Hussein Al Amoudi:
"We have a rich history, our climate is good and the scenery is beautiful. Even though it took us a long time to build this hotel in the capital of Africa, in Addis Ababa, you can see the result by yourselves. Even if I don't tell you how much it cost us, you will understand when you go around and see for yourselves. Up until now, the workers and myself have worked hard on this project. From today on, it belongs to all of you, to receive your guests and for your own entertainment and relaxation".
After that, Ethiopia truly captured the fascination and attention of the world. Before long, Addis Forum conferences were being held at the Sheraton that attracted famous world leaders and businessmen. The wishes of Sheik Mohammed Hussein Al Amoudi were fulfilled. Our country became the central hub of Black Africans.
Why do we say that Sheik Mohammed Hussein Al Amoudi is the exemplar son of Ethiopia, the redeemer, the benefactor? It is because he has built over 30 different companies worth billions of dollars to help in the basic infrastructure that has given a new possibility of growth and development for a new Ethiopia. The wealth he has poured on this country is not one he will benefit from in his life time. But in our countries history, he will be remembered as a martyr who paid the price for the success of our countries vision.
Dr. Arega Yirdaw, CEO of MIDROC Ethiopia tells it this way:
"The family of Mohammed Hussein Al Amoudi has invested in over 30 companies in this country. I was given the opportunity to run 14 of these as a holding company, for the first time in the history of this country. This is not only very challenging in terms of running the companies, but also in teaching people the kind of management leadership required to accomplish such a task. Sheik Mohammed's investment in Ethiopia is not only a profit based investment, but also a human investment. It is an investment based on guaranteeing people a job that will bring food to their children and afford them an education. MIDROC has had a huge contribution in this area and the country has been greatly rewarded.
When we look at the overall investment of MIDROC, we have over 15,000 employees. If you multiply this with the family members that are supported by these employees, the numbers are over 60,000. I manage over 50% of the investment and I have over 6,000 employees under me. The investment areas are highly diversified to include mining, agro-industry, real estate, factories, security and protection companies. When we look at all the investments of Sheik Mohammed, it includes several sectors like hotel, health, education and agriculture.
"MIDROC Ethiopia is a Sheik Mohammed and family investment. It is a home boy investment. It is a slightly different investment. Our focus is primarily on the employee. Which means, we are focusing on ways our employees can benefit from their job through education, through making sure their children are fed and educated? Just like the Ethiopianization of the Ethiopian Airlines, we want to prepare our employees and their children to run these companies. It is an investment not based just on profit making, but on their health and their future. That is why we are moving ahead with a healthy, happy and proud work force as we expand the economic scope of our country. Sheik Mohammed would rather see a lazy employee moved to a less demanding job or retired with full pay to support his family rather than being fired. If Sheik Mohammed hears that an employee was dismissed without pay, I think he will be distressed a lot.
"This is the kind of investment I am talking about. In one sense, many don't understand it, in another sense it has resulted in attracting more investment in our country. Other investors can pack up and leave if their adventure is not profitable. Sheik Mohammed and family have no such inclination. Their investment comes from the heart and is here to stay for good. There is only one thing I want to say to Mohammed. Continue what you are doing without wavering in your path. Continue your love for your family, your friends, your country like always, without any regrets. There is a certain belief in our country that eulogizes some one after they have passed away instead of honoring them while they are still alive. We have changed that in our company. We identify hard working and successful individuals and compensate them and thank them on the spot. So, we pray to the Almighty God for Sheik Mohammed's long and healthy life, to continue to help his friends and his country and keep enjoying himself while doing it".
In addition to this, Sheik Mohammed Al Amoudi is the first one to respond when natural disasters hit, by being the right hand of development organizations in the different regions of the country. Beyond development, would it be too much to say that he has a pure and loving heart which worries for the well-being of all those he comes in contact with, paving the way for their contribution to our universal success?"
"My own personal story starts with a chance encounter that I had with him when he dropped by at my office to make a phone call. My boss, the General Manager of Sheraton Addis was out of the country and I proceeded to open his office for him. Sheik Mohammed refused that and said, "No, let me sit here with you and make my call". I gave him the phone. He proceeded to ask me about my health and my children. I told him I only have one child and all I do is to educate her and do everything for her. He looked at me and said, "From today on, don't worry about her. I will pay for her education". At that moment, I felt like God had just descended from heaven into my life because, I was so desperate at that time. Well, after that, I was able to take her to the United State all expenses paid and enrolled her at the George Mason University in Virginia. She graduated with honors in Biology and joined the Howard University Medical School, in Washington D.C. She will graduate in two years, God willing. In short, he educated one doctor for Ethiopia. I would like to thank Sheik Mohammed from the bottom of my heart for changing my life and my daughter's life. I wish him and his entire family a long life, health, love, peace and happiness."
Sheik Mohammed Hussein Al Amoudi asks all those he sends abroad for education to promise to come back and serve their country. One such Ethiopian is Meron Mengistu. Meron will graduate next year with a doctorate degree in Molecular Biology. Sheik Mohammed believes that the future of Ethiopia is in the hands of its educated youth. To that end, his commitment and support to youth organizations and individuals is boundless. Here are the comments by some of these young entrepreneurs who benefited from his help.
Young women:
"Addis Coffee is a four year old organization. It was established with the help of Sheik Mohammed Hussein Al Amoudi. We started with one and we now have five branches and the expansion will continue. With his help, I was able to start the business with 30 employees. I now have 275 employees. "Your dream is to help the young to succeed. Your dream is coming true. We are helping ourselves and helping others. We attribute our success to your generosity. I pray to God for your health and long life".
A young man:
"My line of work is in renting construction equipment. We have a lot of employees who drive heavy trucks and thanks to Sheik Mohammed, our business is growing rapidly. In the name of my employees, my family and myself, I wish him a long and healthy life".
Another young man:
"I have listened to many of his speeches on many occasions. His speeches focus on the youth of our country. He wants to see the youth changed so as to change our country. I wish every one had the opportunity that I had".
Another young man:
"What I believe to be the dream of Sheik Mohammed Hussein Al Amoudi is to leave a successful youth for the next generation. That is what I heard from his speeches. He wishes he could help all. He is not one who lives at a distance or feared and avoided because of his beard or his wealth. He is a down to earth human being with good intentions for us all. Those of us who are lucky enough to get his help will continue to work hard and also help others in the process to make his dream come true."
To protect the honor and dignity of our country and not let her poverty interfere with her central place as Africa's capital, Sheik Mohammed Hussein Al Amoudi has fulfilled his obligations and stands as a national treasure. This is what he had to say at the opening ceremony of Sheraton Addis:
"I would like to thank everybody who supported us with this place. This is a gift from my country to the whole of Africa. This is a gift to the whole continent of Africa. It will stay that way and we will keep it that way."
In the area of sports, Sheik Mohammed Hussein Al Amoudi has not hesitated to pour his wealth to make Ethiopia the owner of a new history in the making. Beyond helping individual sports people and our national teams, Sheik Mohammed has sponsored the Middle and East African cup for three consecutive years. He has received recognition and multiple awards for his world-wide participation in humanitarian activities. Among these are the gold medal he received from Seth Platter of the Federation of International Football Association and the honorary doctorate degree bestowed on him by the Addis Ababa University.
"I focus more on satisfaction rather than profit making at the expense of my fellow citizens. This perhaps is the main reason why most of my advisors and business associates tell me that I do invest particularly in Ethiopia and in Africa with my heart. Let me tell you a small story. In 1985, my partners came to my office in Riyadh and they said to me "let us invest in Paris and other places." I said Paris is far away. I am telling you this is 20 years ago. I said I would like to start in Africa. They said, "why Africa? There is no stability, there is no peace." I said to them I want to be there first. When other investors come, they open the door and they see me there. Either they join me or they fight me."
We have tried to highlight only a few of the endless love and contributions that this great Ethiopians has made to his country. The number of young people abroad getting their education, the number he has helped with wedding expenses, the many he has pulled out of misery and destitution to success and self sufficiency is countless.
One of the civil servants of Sheik Mohammed's humanitarian concerns says;
"His humanitarian aid extends to the old, the weak and the sick. As a person involved in doing the paper work and arranging the transportation of the sick going for treatment to America, Bangkok or South Africa, I have witnessed the miraculous cure and turn around in the lives of many of these patients. I see Sheik Mohammed as a gift to his country sent to us by the Almighty God."
That is why we repeatedly applaud him and this truth and his story will be etched in the history of our land for ever. In the new Ethiopia, his noble deeds will be passed from generation to generation without losing its flavor. Beyond that, can we thank him enough or be satisfied with any kind of gift?
In our introduction, we had asked about what yardstick to use to measure his generosity. As we conclude our video, we wished that Ethiopia had the ability to voice its opinion. If you say why, it is because we are fragile beings who are bright one moment and gone the next. Instead, we wanted the eternal earth to be the witness. However, we still elected to hear from those who can articulate their story more succinctly.
Because we lack a Heart Center in our country, many young lives have been lost unnecessarily and many more are counting their days. Heart disease in children is especially mean. To combat this, one patriotic Ethiopian starts out with a dream to do something about it. His name is Dr. Belay Abegaz.
" When I first met Sheik Mohammed 18 years ago, he said, "Are you Dr. Belay? Is that you? I have heard a lot about you. I don't know when, but some day I will help you, I will help you well. Take care. Work hard." I said to him, I was doing a simple thing. Even my office is made of a container that I begged for. Since we don't have money, we can't afford to rent. I told him that I did not want to use the money I collected begging to go for rent. He said, " Listen, and let me tell you something. Starting from a house whose ceiling and wall were corrugated iron and the floor dirt, one can achieve greatness." He told me the name of such a person. I made a mental note of that. God willing, in the year 2007, we were able to open the first world class Heart Center here in Ethiopia, while still working from our container offices."
Twelve years ago Mr. Benyam Tilahun, let me mention his name, had gone and told Sheik Mohammed about my plan to take some Ethiopian singers to the US to raise money for my Heart Center. He let me to talk to him on the phone. I told him my plans. He said, "by the way, how much money do you need?". I told him two million dollars. He laughed at me. He said, "You can't build a hospital with two million dollars. I will give you two million dollars. When you need more I will give you more. But, let me tell you something. Go ahead and do your begging abroad. If you have to beg, beg for medical equipment, not money for building a hospital. We Ethiopians should be the ones to build the hospital."
I can in no way pay back for the support I received form the Ethiopian people. But, there are Ethiopians with at least one child. So I started a campaign to raise one dollar for one heart to raise at least 25 million dollars. Sheik Mohammed, in addition to the 8 million he had given me before, he gave me 25 million more just a few days ago. That is a total of 33 million. In addition, most of his organizations in the country gave me 3, 4, 5 million dollars. That makes the gross total to close to 40 million dollars. At a minimum, Sheik Mohammed has paid for 40 million families of my One Dollar for One Heart project. He has made me proud of my people and allowed me to see my dream come true before I die. It has been 28 years in the making and 25 years since my travails began and Sheik Mohammed has made it a reality. Mohammed has stood beside his Ethiopians. Any one who does such good deeds for children is one loved by the Lord. It is not money, it is not wealth. May God allow him to stand beside Him. May God pay him back in kind. I am not the one saying this. It is the children who have become beneficiaries of his generosity. Because of him, our country has become equal to the rest of the world. Let me just digress a little and mention that the only country with a population of 80 million that did not have a heart center was Ethiopia. I can only thank him in the name of these children or else I have no right to talk about this. May their God find him a place next to Himself. I have no other wish for him"
Professor Yonas Kinfe has been serving his country in his profession for over 40 years.
" I describe his help as a "soft" help. It is about preventing immigration out of the country and bringing home those who have immigrated and it is much bigger advantageous for the country than these edifices and construction investments. I would not have been able to expand into research and to travel the world and participate in international forums, if it were not for his tremendous encouragement and financing. This is an investment that is not conspicuous, but prevents brain drain. Sheik Mohammed has allowed me to proudly serve my country and help myself in this profession.
"The other chapter of my life is about my health. Last year, I lost my vision because of retinal detachment. At a time when retirement income is not even sufficient for day to day expenses, Sheik Mohammed came to my rescue and I was sent for an emergency surgery at a world renowned center and gained back my vision. What else can I say other than thank you? There is nothing you can give him in return. May God bless him with more. And that is why He will give him more."
Sheik Mohammed laid the foundation for the history of our musical king, Tilahun Gessese, which would have otherwise been lost and forgotten. Every time Tilahun fell ill, Sheik Mohammed was always there for him. And we continue to have our now fragile Tilahun Gessese.
"He allowed me to be with you now. He is my right hand, my mother and father, my brother and my friend. I have no words to say about him when you ask me. My life was going to be cut short. He came and saved me. I am able to sit, eat, talk and walk, all because of him. I wish him and his family plenty of healthy years."
Bethlehem Abebe is a 27 year old young woman. She was only six months shy of a Sociology degree from Addis Ababa University and her family was preparing for a grand graduation when she suddenly fell ill and started a long fight for her life.
" My problem was with my immune system. My immune system is very aggressive not only to diseases, but also towards my own organs. At one point, I was very sick and in a delirious state, they tell me that I referred to him as my uncle. I truly thank him."
Her Father: " For me, this was something completely unexpected. I had lost hope and had given up. I was waiting for the day when I would carry her to her grave. God had another miracle for me. May he not show me his illness. May I pass away before him. He does not know me, but this is what humanitarian help means. My wish is to meet him some day and thank him in the name of my family. May God bless all that He has given you."
There was no Ethiopian that was not shocked and angered by a horrifying incident that happened to a young girl. Her name is Kamilia Mehadi. She was sent to France by Sheik Mohammed to get a very specialized medical treatment. We were able to talk to her while she was on a brief visit to Ethiopia to see her parents.
"When the doctors saw my picture, they assured me that they will make me much better. What they have done now is just an emergency procedure. I am here to visit my parents. When I go back they will put me back to what I looked before this accident. Sheik Mohammed saved my life and the lives of my family. There is nothing I lack while I am getting treatment. I also get a chance to come and visit my family in between. I don't know how to express my happiness with all this generosity. May Allah reward him for this. My parents and I will always remember him in our daily prayers. May he live a long and healthy life."
And the father says:
"When all that poisonous acid was poured on her body and was burning her and tormenting her beyond belief, Sheik Mohammed came to her rescue. Alhamdulilah! I have no words to express his kindness. He has arrived for her like St. Gabriel to cure her. Alhamdulilah, may the Almighty prolong his life."
And her mother says:
" I told the doctors to take skin from my face and use it for her. They took a piece for testing and told me it does not match. I tried everything to help. Finally, I thought about taking my own life by drinking poison. They told me I was loosing my mind and I was in constant pain. I raised her and put her through school and then this happens. If it were not for Sheik Mohammed's help I would have lost her. He saved all of Ethiopia, not just us. My Allah give him health and long life."
Sofanit Debalke was an Ethiopian beauty working as a hostess with the Ethiopian Airlines. While on vacation to visit her family in America, she came face to face with an unexpected horror of her life, breast cancer! She lost hope. She said farewell to her parents and came back home to count her last days. Sheik Mohammed heard about the ordeals of this young lady and came to her aid.
" As we all know the name itself is very scary. After that fact, I never knew there was a chance for a life. I cried a lot. I had children and I was very sad to realize that I could not remain a mother to them. Sheik Mohammed, my gratitude is so great that I can't thank you enough. May you and your children live long and happy. May God bless you."
Hiwot Yeyesuswork is a mother, who suddenly found herself with breast cancer. All her dreams were coming to an end when Sheik Mohammed showed up in her life. When we met her, she was unable to express her feelings, her pleasures. Her eldest daughter, Belen Legesse, a second year Addis Ababa University student was beside her and came to her rescue.
" It was a Saturday morning when she called me and showed me this lump in her breast. I was panic-stricken, but I reassured her and told her she will be OK. She was tested the following Tuesday and she came home with the devastating news. I had heard about cervical cancer before. I never suspected such a day will come into my family. I had lost hope completely. I never thought I would see the day where she would be sitting next to me like this. It is because of him that this happened. If she were not here, I would not have continued my education. Being the eldest in the family, I would have taken up many household responsibilities. And my mother was not only a mother to me, she is my best friend too. I have hope now and I have her next to me, thanks to Sheik Mohammed. I thank him sincerely in the name of my father and all of my family. I have nothing else to say. He did the unexpected for me. He gave me back my mother. I don't know how else to thank him."
Sheik Mohammed, may Allah bless you.
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