The late Leeza Woubshet had a dream to return to her native Ethiopia and start a school for the poor. In 2003, it seemed that dream ended when she died as a result of an automobile accident. Her fiancée, Dana Roskey, a native of California refused to let the dream die when he moved to Ethiopia to establish an organization called Tesfa Foundation in her loving memory. Roskey, who holds an MA in Education from the University of Minnesota, had a noble dream of funding schools for the poor.

Since January 2004, he has made such a passionate impact in Ethiopia by founding his Tesfa Foundation as well as being the current country director for Ethiopia reads. Samuel Getachew caught up with Roskey as he reflects on a long journey in Ethiopia. Excerpts:

You have been coming to Ethiopia for eight years and been involved in many worthwhile initiatives. Share with us your Ethiopian journey so far.

I became involved with Ethiopia because of my loss. But with the grief came a blessing: the opportunity to participate in the lives of thousands of children, youth, and families here—even if only indirectly—helping to bring education and opportunity to people who deserve it. The Ethiopian people are very gracious, the country is beautiful, and I feel blessed to have spent as much time in this country as I have. I hope that Leeza's dream has been realized. Whether it has or hasn't, I will continue to work for the children and youth of this country, for as long as I am able.

Tell us about Team Tesfa.

Team Tesfa is a club based in Addis Ababa, founded about five yeas ago. Its purpose is not only competition, but to provide humble support systems for young athletes who have a dream to make their lives better—especially young women who have come to Addis from the countryside, hoping that running will lead them toward success and better lives, but then find themselves struggling to survive in the big city. I'm a runner, and that's why I took an interest in the lives of runners here. I want to see them have a chance to pursue their dreams. We at Team Tesfa have a long way to go, but so far we have been able to support a number of teen girls with housing and education. We support young women with athletic gear, educational support, and vocational skills. And we have started to help some young men with vocational skills, as well. I see a bright future for this program. I'm concerned that Ethiopia's young athletes receive the respect and the resources they deserve for full and satisfying lives. A few athletes become rich and famous, of course. But the majority work very hard for years and don't make it.  They sacrifice everything for the dream, and afterward they have nothing to build the rest of their lives on. This is what I would like to see change.

What initiatives are the Tesfa Foundation involved in?

There are many children in Ethioipia who have no access to education. We are just one of many organizations trying to help the government in its effort to reach those children. It's a matter of resources. The Tesfa Foundation has focused on the youngest children and more recently, on rural children. We have funded the establishment of eight schools in Ethiopia. Five of those have been kindergartens and the rest rural, non formal schools for primary ages. We have invested in good teacher training, and in some cases have been able to help moms with micro loans and help children with shoes, clothing, and nutrition. Now, of course, the Ethiopian government is implementing kindergarten-level education in its government schools. This is an exciting time, as we see a new push for quality in early grades literacy. We at the Tesfa Foundation would like to offer a hand to help schools implement high-quality kindergarten education. We see that many schools do not have the resources to train staff in the unique needs of kindergarten-age children, buy age-appropriate materials, or furnish classrooms appropriately. We are currently piloting this kind of assistance in several local schools.

How about Ethiopia Reads?

Ethiopia Reads has been working in Ethiopia for over a decade, establishing school and community libraries across the country. To date, we have established almost sixty libraries around Ethiopia. The mission of ER is to encourage a culture of reading, and that goes well beyond the supply of books. We offer librarian training twice per year, and monthly professional forums for librarians. We invite librarians' colleagues, their school directors, teachers, and local officials to attend, because we believe that a successful library, and a strong reading culture, depends on whole communities. We organize book events and book clubs in schools. We invite Ethiopian children's into our programs. We sponsor rural mobile library systems to deliver books and opportunities for literacy to children deep in the countryside where there is no access to schools. Again, it's an exciting time to be in this line of work, just as people are re-discovering the importance of reading to happiness and success.

"In the last decade, there have been many changes in Ethiopia. What are some of the positive changes you have observed over the years?

Well, the perspective of a faranj will differ from that that of locals. The faranj sees the rapid growth of Addis Ababa, the construction, and the proliferation of supermarkets and consumer goods. Addis Ababa is a much more comfortable city for faranjs than it used to be. Obviously the national economy is booming, even as many poor people's lives are becoming more difficult because of inflation. It's a time of contrasts. Even as there are more roads and more schools, there is famine and profound suffering for many. It's our job to reach out to the poor and to the youth, and to make sure they aren't left behind.

For someone who wants to emulate such an enterprising career what advice would you have?

Know what's right, keep your focus, and be determined. I've seen many kids come to Team Tesfa who are all talk. They are sure they can run like Haile. But in athletics, you either prove it by your performance or you don't. It's all about persistence and intelligence. The beautiful thing about athletics is how it teaches us about life. Anything you want in life, you earn in just the same way.