Among the many contributions of Yeharerwerk Gashaw:
The beginning of Rescuing Ethiopian Refugees in Paris, France
Yeharerwerk Gashaw is professionally recognized as the first Ethiopian international model ever advertised out side of Africa and as an Actress, but spends the majority of time using her celebrity status to aid and advocate for Ethiopian immigrants and African-American causes. Her humanitarian efforts began in 1978 while she was a teenager in Paris, France, where many Ethiopian refugees were to be deported back to Ethiopia. This young, newly discovered model became responsible for advocating for the Ethiopian immigrants, while at the same time she didn't even have enough money to take pay for her own school payments. She even shared her small, one room apartment with a few of the refugees. Because Yeharerwerk lost her parents at a young age, she was continually faced with the responsibility of taking care of herself as well as her younger siblings. This experience helped her to handle every difficult situation and hardship she came across, such as this. Yeharerwerk aided the Ethiopian refugees on her own, never asking support or financial aid from any individuals or organizations, but invested her own money, time and energy in helping them. Instead of using her fame for personal gain or self benefit, she used her connections in support of her humanitarian causes.
In 1978, with the help of oppositional party members within Ethiopia, the Somali forces entered the cities of Dire-dewa and Harer in Ethiopia. Yeharerwerk, only a teenager and newly discovered international model at the time, played a grand role by organizing a multicultural event at UNSCO in Paris, France, working with the Embassy of Ethiopia to raise money to support the civilians in the two cities that were victimized by the forces. She also appealed to and united all ambassadors that were serving their countries in Paris, France to support and participate in the fundraiser.
In 1990, when the TPLF, EPLF and OLF rebel groups, in addition to the Somalia military powers, were at the brink of overthrowing the Ethiopian military and government, and dividing and conquering the country, Yeharerwerk left her comfortable life, her husband, and her glamorous job to travel back to Ethiopia to stand in support of the Ethiopian people and military, who were attempting to protect the citizens and keep the country unified. She was the first Ethiopian in diaspora to return to her country in those harsh times. She was also the first Ethiopian concerned citizen that met and discussed the situation with Col. Meningitis Hailemariam, the President of Ethiopia.While in Addis Abeba, she founded Congressman Mickey Leland Orphan Children Home, in honor of the Late Congressman Mickey Leland, which, sadly, has now been abolished by the TPLF leader Meles Zenawi. For her acts of patriotism, in 1990 the Ethiopian people named her "YeEthiopiawerk" (Gold Of Ethiopia.)
Rescuing the Former Ethiopians Solders:
On 12-18-04, the following was stated by military commander Matthew Mckonnen, an Ethiopian naval hero of the battle between the Ethiopian naval forces and the TPLF and EPLF groups at Massawa (the Red Sea), in regard to Yeharerwerk efforts and initiative to liberate and bring the former Ethiopian Navy members from the Yemen Republic to the United States through negotiation with the U.S. Government, which secured their resettlement in the U.S.
“From the very onset I would like to reiterate on the great admiration and respect I have have for ms. Yeharerwerk Gashaw. She has been the very great traditional Ethiopian women example who had followed their men in every battle field for national preservation. Her courage, commitments, motherly sincere concerns for the abused Ethiopians who gave their only life for national interest, is to say the least, consistent and endearing characteristics that shaped her person. In this age of information, Ms. Yeharerwerk Gashaw had carried the traditional Ethiopian Women challenges to the frontiers of modernized battle fields of reshaping opinions, influencing thoughts and endeavor in the forming accomodative policies where it really counts.”
In 1999. Yeharerwerk is the first and only Ethiopian humanitarian to have traveled to the war fields of Eritrea to advocate the freedom of Ethiopian forgotten soldiers, as well as the children soldiers ,ranging from age 12-17, and rescue them from POW's prison. Yeharerwerk also met and appealed to Eritreans leader Isaias Afewerki in Asmara, Eritrea. Yeharerwerk's efforts were a success, and after twenty two years of being denied by the Eritrean People Liberation Front, the Red Cross International was, for the first time, aloud to visit and assist the POWs. While in Eritrea, she was honored by the POWs for being the onlyEthiopian to visit themas family and humanitarian and wearing the Ethiopian flag during meeting with them and the Eritrean leader Isaias Afewerki.
Honored
Yeharerwerk is the first Ethiopian ever to be honored by former Ethiopian POWs and the former Ethiopian military and Navy with military protocol as the “Mother and Father of Ethiopians in uniform” in 1999. In 2009, she was honored by the navy association in Dallas Texas for her “diligent efforts and unmatched contributions” in liberating the naval members from Yemeni prison and their families, who were political refugees in Yemen, as well as the civilians that worked under the them, negotiating their resettlement with the United States government in order for them to permanently resettlement within the U.S.
The attempted defamation of the good name of Yeharerwerk Gashaw
In 2008, in backlash against her exposing of undercover agents under the direction of the so called prime minister of Ethiopia, Meles Zenawi, and exposing their ethnic apartheid system as well as their mission to eliminate all oppositional parties in opposition of Meles Zenawi, in diaspora, the prime minister's undercover agents and supporters came together in a hotel in Dallas, Texas to sentence Yeharerwerk (without her presence or knowledge) with charges against her for exposing the true nature of their actions and occupations and presence within the Ethiopian community. Yeharerwerk had to stay strong as she underwent many threats and much name defamation in the DFW area, as well as other cities where similar agents are working, for her exposure and confronting of their work in the United States under the direction of the Ethiopian government with a mission to penetrate Ethiopian community in the diaspora, oppositional political parties, and non-profit organizations in order to dismantle and sabotage these groups which were created by the Ethiopian people in attempt to bring unity and democracy to Ethiopia. Today, these agents working under Meles Zenawi continue to attempt to defame the name of Yeharerwerk Gashaw in every opportunity given.
