GHEBRE SELASSIE MEHRETEAB
TO BE HONORED AS HUMANITARIAN OF THE YEAR
April 25, 2007—Washington, DC—The Eritrean Development Foundation announces that Ghebre Selassie Mehreteab will receive the 2007 Fred Hollows Humanitarian Award, acknowledging his contributions and commitments to Eritrea as well as his work in creating and preserving America’s affordable housing. Proceeds from the dinner will support the Eritrean Development Foundation’s micro-credit program for women in Eritrea and other related activities.
The award will be presented at a benefit dinner on Wednesday, May 16, 2007, at 7:00 PM, at the Capital Hilton, 1001 16th Street NW, Washington, DC.
Mr. Mehreteab is the chief executive officer of the NHP Foundation, a national non-profit organization engaged in the creation and preservation of quality affordable housing for low- and moderate-income families in the United States. Recently, the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal featured Mehreteab’s contribution in preserving and rebuilding affordable housing in the Katrina-affected Gulf Coast region.
Over the years, Mr. Mehreteab has been active in the struggle for independence of Eritrea, his country of origin. After Eritrea won its independence in 1991, he continued with his unremitting commitment to the new nation, including his involvement with the Eritrean Development Foundation.
Mr. Mehreteab distinguished career has focused on improving the social and economic well-being of his fellow Americans. His experience has ranged broadly, from organizing public-assistance recipients in Philadelphia to serving as an executive at the Ford Foundation in New York. He is currently a member of the Board of Directors of Douglas Emmett, Inc., and the National Housing Conference. Mr. Mehreteab is also a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, Cosmos Club, Sigma Pi Phi Epsilon Boulé, and the Economic Club of Washington.
Mr. Mehreteab graduated from Haverford College in 1972 and on May 20, 2007, he will receive an honorary degree from his alma mater.
To RSVP for the benefit dinner, please call the Eritrean Development Foundation at (202) 783-3273 or visit www.edfonline.org <http://www.edfonline.org>.
***
The Eritrean Development Foundation commissioned the Fred Hollows Award to honor the legacy of a legendary ophthalmologist dedicated to eradicating treatable blindness around the world. Professor Hollows founded Australia’s National Trachoma and Eye Health Program, which dramatically reduced treatable blindness and eye disease among the Aboriginal people. He was Eritrea’s first eye surgeon and trained local doctors. After his death in 1993, the Fred Hollows Intraocular Lens Laboratory was established in Asmara, Eritrea, which manufactures high-quality, low-cost lenses and parallel medical products certified by international accreditation bodies.
The Eritrean Development Foundation is an independent Washington based 501(c)(3) non-profit humanitarian organizations, working to promote economic, social, and cultural development in Eritrea.
***
Dinner Committee Co-Chairman

The Honorable Harris L. Wofford

Ambassador Donald F. McHenry


Dinner Committee Vice Chairs

Ralph F. Boyd, Jr.

Terry Considine

Dan A. Emmett

Robert F. Higgins

Marcia Clark Jackson

Gary A. Jennison

Ambassador James A. Joseph

Dr. Risa Lavizzo-Mourey

David O. Maxwell

Patti J. Rosenfeld

Karen Hastie Williams

Wesley S. Williams, Jr.


Eritrean Development Foundation
Board of Directors

Yacob Fisseha, PhD, Chairman

Yobi Amdemariam, Coordinator

Astier M. Almedom, PhD

Almaz A. Armstead

Martin Ganzglass, Esq.

Ficack Habtes, PhD

Jack Ladenson, PhD

Kip Mackey

Solomon Teklu

Gebre Hiwet Tesfagiorgis, PhD

Mesfin Zaid