Andualem

Master’s Degree in International Business Law

Upon graduation from high school, Andu was faced with the seemingly inevitable fortune of many of his peers: most likely, a long and dangerous journey crossing borders or seas to find work in the neighboring countries. But for Andu, his plan to enter the workforce after high school graduation was not voluntary: he had always dreamed of pursuing higher education to change his life and those of his two younger brothers.

Andu’s dream was realized upon his connection with an early member of A More Balanced World (AMBW), who provided him with financial support to obtain his undergraduate degree, before the organization officially began its work.

While Andu’s college degree offered him an education and opportunities few of his peers from his village had, his passion for learning and pursuing every opportunity to better the lives of himself and his family led him to turn his sights to a graduate degree from a top school.

Not unlike his path to a bachelor’s degree, Andu was not restrained by determination or aptitude, achieving one of the top scores on the entrance exam and gaining admission to a Master’s in Law from one of the most prestigious schools in Ethiopia. Again, AMBW provided him with the financial resources to harness his full academic potential, allowing him to graduate in 2015 with a graduate degree he was awarded after completing his thesis on “Ensuring Corporate Social Responsibility in Ethiopia.”

In return for his scholarship, Andu worked for AMBW as a local representative, helping other promising young students follow in his footsteps.

Andu’s graduate degree allowed him to fulfill the original dream that drove him to pursue higher education: he was able to support his family and the college educations of his two younger brothers. Andu continues to volunteer with AMBW after immigrating to the U.S. because he believes “education changes lives” and that the values and mission of AMBW allow other students to live out that ethos in their own life the same way he did.