Mr. Gonfa Balcha Robele serves as the General Manager of Succoth Trading PLC, the business wing of the Elnet Foundation. He holds a BSc in Physics from Addis Ababa University, a Master’s in Art Leadership from Vision International University, California, and an MBA from Rift Valley University. Mr. Gonfa has a diverse professional background, having taught Physics in high schools and preparatory schools for over 12 years, and served as a School Director for approximately four years.
In addition to his academic and teaching experience, Mr. Gonfa has held various leadership roles in Bishoftu City, including Head of Transport, Trade, and Industry, Head of the Bishoftu TVET Office, Deputy Mayor, and Director of Job Creation and Legality at the Oromia Bureau of Enterprise and Industry Development. His extensive experience in public administration and leadership has led to numerous achievements, many of which were scaled up across Oromia.
Mr. Gonfa is particularly skilled in entrepreneurship and business development, known for generating innovative ideas to establish new business ventures. His leadership has consistently driven exemplary results, contributing significantly to the economic and social development of the communities he serves.
Email: g.balcha@elnetfoundation.com
Sinta
yehu Getachew Merga is a dedicated finance professional with a bachelor’s degree in accounting and finance from Addis Ababa University, awarded in 2017. With over six years of experience as a Finance and Administration Officer at FH Ethiopia, a prominent international NGO operating in the Kembata Zone of southern Ethiopia, Sintayehu has a proven track record of managing financial operations in challenging environments.
His expertise is further supported by certifications in International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) from Addis Ababa University and International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) from IPASS, showcasing his commitment to maintaining high standards of financial accountability and transparency.
Email: s.getachew@elnetfoundation.com
LinkedIn : http://www.linkedin.com/in/sintayehu-getachew-97b134146
Animal Welfare Coordinator
Dr. Getnet Fekadu Demissie is a Veterinary Epidemiologist and a professional in Sustainable Management of Resources and Cultural Heritage. He is deeply passionate about animal welfare and sustainability, with a particular concern for the poor conditions of working equids and the unsustainable use of resources in Ethiopia. He holds an MSc in Veterinary Epidemiology from Addis Ababa University and a specialized Master in Sustainable Management of Resources and Cultural Heritage from Politecnico di Milano, Italy. Getnet has over ten years of experience lecturing veterinary courses at public university and jointly working with NGOs in Ethiopia. He is also certified in GIS, R, and Project Management and Evaluation. Throughout his career, Getnet has led both local and international research projects for over a decade. Additionally, he has dedicated ten plus years for providing community service in Ethiopia.
Email : g.fekadu@elnetfoundation.com
Linkedin :
Office Assistant
Hawi Refisa Gerbiche holds a Bachelor’s degree in English Language and Literature from Bahirdar University. She has extensive experience in regional government affairs, having served as a Manager at Heineken Ethiopia, where she excelled in building strong stakeholder relationships, effectively managing crises, and overseeing regulatory compliance.
Hawi also has experience in live streaming, having spent a year with OBN, where she coordinated live broadcasts and engaged with the audience in real time. Currently, she works as an Office Assistant at the Elnet Foundation, where she handles administrative tasks, supports project management, and assists in organizing events and meetings, contributing her skills and expertise to the foundation’s mission.
Email : h.refisa@elnetfoundation.com
Linkedin :
Social Work Coordinator
Dereje Tesema Koricho is a dedicated educator and manager from Ethiopia with over two decades of experience in the field of education. He holds an MA in Leadership and Governance from the Ethiopian Civil Service University and a BA in Educational Planning and Management from Haramaya University.
Dereje’s career includes roles such as primary school teacher, principal, supervisor, educational inspector, and community outreach coordinator. Currently, he serves as the Social Work Coordinator at the Elnet Foundation. He is recognized for his effective supervision and community mobilization efforts, having worked as a Community Outreach Officer for the READCO project, undertaken by Save the Children in the Fitche area, from November 2017 to March 2019. He also held the same position with ANFEAE on the READCO project from August 2016 to September 2017.
Dereje’s deep understanding and commitment to students and families have significantly improved literacy rates and addressed educational challenges in his community. He is a passionate supporter of creating a fuller life for all through education and community support.
Environmental Welfare Coordinator
Tefera Elias Regea has master degree in project management from lead star university, bachelor degree in physics and additional bachelor of Arts in Theology from Mekane Yesus Seminary. He has been teaching and working as lab assistant in physics laboratory in different school for over 10 years. He has voluntarily work in Epaphra Relief association organizing events and activities cleaning city roads, planting trees and creating awareness on environmental pollution. He is passionate about sustainability, climate change, or clean air and water and to spot negative environmental impacts and work to minimize them and creating greener safer environment for human and animals.
Linkedin : tefera-elias-493604248
Social Work Coordinator
Jalal Ameyu Kejela has a BTH in theology from Leadstar Theological College, Ethiopia. He works in partnership with Diakonia, a church based organization born out of Biftu Bole Congregation church where he is involved in supporting most vulnerable people with clothes, feeding, medical care and meeting other basic needs. He is not hesitant to go out at night in Addis Ababa to pray with, comforting and advising drug addicts and street children. He is passionate about changing the lives of street children and helping the underprivileged.
Animal Welfare Coordinator
Dr. Yimesgen Tarekegn Abeka has a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Jimma University. He is the founder of Beyond Student for Change, an initiative stated in 2014 G.C that aims to empower the young generation to fulfill their dreams in the livestock sector. He is leading ‘The Blue Vet’ social media platform, which is one of the portfolios of Beyond Student for Change initiative. (Vet Sustain, GARC). He is actively taking part and developing veterinary journalism in Ethiopia with interests in One Health and Animal Welfare. Dr. Yimesgen also supports Ethiopia’s Livestock sector to be promoted on international level (The Blue Vet). He is dedicated and committed to bring change in the practices of animal welfare and health in Ethiopia.
Email : y.tarekegn@elnetfoundation.com
Linkedin : yimesgen-tarekegn-dvm-974245135
Office Manager & Executive Assistant
Bereket Mulatu Negusie has worked as a legal researcher in the Federal Supreme Court and thought at school for several years. She is currently an LLM Candidate in Public International Law at AAU and has MSc in Project Planning and Management from YOM Institution of Economic Development in collaboration with Debremarkos University.
She is passionate about helping human kind to have better lives with economic empowerment and greener and safer environment and is passionate about seeing positive impact in the lives of children and women.
Email : b.mulatu@elnetfoundation.com
Linkedin : bereket-mulatu-a3014486
Finance & Human Resource Director
Sima Gudeta Abdissa is an Accountant by Profession. He has MSc in Accounting & Finance from Addis Ababa University. He has been lecturing different Accounting & Finance related courses at different public Universities and at Mekane Yesus Management & Leadership College for over 10 years. He has TOT certificate from Accounting & Auditing Board of Ethiopia (AABE) on International Financial Reporting standards (IFRS) and International Public sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS). He has worked as Chief Finance office for local NGO’s for more than 3 years and has developed different financial and HR related policy manual for different organization.
Email : s.gudeta@elnetfoundation.com
Linkedin : sima-gudeta-abdissa-19a70a68
Regional Program Director
Dr. Rahel Jigi Kitessa has Ph.D. in Economics from Tilburg University, the Netherlands. Rahel is passionate about the environment and uplifting the vulnerable. She was affiliated to Tilburg Sustainability Center and was a member of Tilburg Behavioral and Experimental Economics group. As an assistant professor, she has lectured at different universities including ECSU for more than nine years, sits on a number of related boards and meetings. She has worked on development issues with main focus on environmental conservation, green development and community participation in the development and environmental conservation agendas (with World Bank). In addition to the above mentioned subjects, her research covers different themes such as gender empowerment (with UN Women), impact assessments of developmental projects (UN Women, ICBA) and tax policy related matters.
Email: r.jigi@elnetfoundation.com
Linkedin: rahel-jigi-kitessa-992118125
CEO/President
Jessica E. Hedman with her husband Tokkicha A. Ketema is the founder of Elnet Foundation. She has a master’s degree from Örebro University, Sweden in political science and has a rich experience in organizational development, strategy and policy development, strategic planning and team building, partner and donor networking and mainstreaming of cross-cutting issues. She has led and supported humanitarian response in countries across Africa, Asia and Middle East and is well familiar with development programming in complex contexts. She is a firm believer that we can contribute to positive change and impact in peoples and communities when we work with local actors that knows the local context – be it local entrepreneurs, local NGOs and local government bodies – and combining our development work with lobby and advocacy towards key stakeholders.
Email : j.hedman@elnetfoundation.com
Linkedin : jessica-hedman-96319735
