Meet the Founder
“Education is not a privilege; it is a shield.”A message from Dr. Yetmwork Berhanu, MD, OB/GYN & Internist”I grew up in Ethiopia in a family of nine. My father, an orphan who lost his own mother to childbirth complications, ran away as a boy just to find an education. Because of his struggle, he fiercely believed in the power of educating girls. Though he died fighting for our country before I finished high school, his words lived inside me. Guided by his dream, I became the very first degree-holder in my family.My path took me to Cuba on a medical scholarship, where I trained as an Obstetrician and Gynecologist. I returned to Ethiopia and spent ten years fighting the devastating maternal mortality rates that stole my grandmother’s life. Later, recognizing the deep, systemic nature of these challenges, I moved to the United States to expand my ability to give back. For the last ten plus years, I have proudly served the Minnesota community as an Internist and Hospitalist, providing acute medical care to patients in need.In Ethiopia, when a young girl is denied an education, she is trapped. She faces the immediate risks of early marriage, poverty, and life-threatening medical complications. I am the living witness that education and healthcare are the ultimate ways out.I founded the Yetmayehu Foundation to treat the root causes of poverty. We ensure the next generation of Ethiopian girls have the health to survive, the education to thrive, and the practical skills to become independent leaders.”