Mulu's Story

Community

City: Netanya

Mulu’s story sweeps through an arrangement of landscapes. From a small Ethiopian
Jewish village, to one of many immigrants arriving to Israel during Operation Moses,
to finally a school where she is an Educational and Social Mediator for an ENP
SPACE Program. Mulu’s work supports the healthy development of youth in the face of
adversity. In particular her journey and story led her to change the life of one particular
child named Noam, who struggled with his own challenges to succeed as an Ethiopian
in Israel society.

“My love and passion is working with Ethiopian-Israeli youth, helping them understand
that they, too, can achieve all they hope for. I feel with teenagers I can make the
greatest contribution, and serve as a personal example. I came at 14. I made it. They
can, too.”

Mulu, today a 31-year old resident of Haifa, grew up in a large village in Ethiopia called
Uzava, home to a large number of Jews. She was one of six siblings. Mulu’s father
passed away when she was five, so her mother raised the family on her own.

In 1984, Mulu’s two older brothers and two older sisters walked the long, difficult
journey from their village in the Gondar region of Ethiopia to Sudan during Operation
Moses. Mulu remained with her younger brother and their mother. There was an
elementary school in the village, where Mulu studied until the third grade. Then, she,
her brother ,and mother moved to Addis Ababa in the hopes of one day reuniting with
their family in Israel.

Six years later, their dream came true. Her brothers in Israel arranged for passports to
be sent to Mulu’s mother, little brother ,and Mulu. At the age of 14, after six years of
separation, Mulu and her family came to Israel.

Mulu was sent to a religious boarding school a few months after her arrival. Though
she commenced school in Israel with only a third grade education, she finished high
school in 1995. She participated in a college preparatory program in 1996 and then
was accepted to the University of Haifa, where she attained her BA in Education in
2001. Since graduating, Mulu has been making a difference both in a volunteer and
professional capacity, within the Ethiopian-Israeli community and beyond. Mulu has
worked in a Home for the Aged, guided Ethiopian-Israeli parents on how to set limits
with their children, and helped elementary aged children with homework in after school
clubs.

Today, Mulu is an ENP SPACE Educational and Social Mediator. She works in two
schools in Netanya. A talented professional, Mulu is fluent in Amharic and Hebrew and
proficient in English.

Mulu describes her work as very challenging, and very fulfilling: “One of my greatest
achievements is bringing the parents closer to the schools. Previously, there had been
little connection between school and the parents.”

Mulu, in her work, seeks out the most “problematic” children. She is particularly proud of
the progress made with a seventh grader named Noam (name has been changed). The
13 year old would not speak at school. The school considered him a “lost cause” and
suggested he be sent to a special school. At times he was known to break out in fits of
violence.

Mulu visited Noam’s mother, and came to understand the boy’s many, many challenges
at home. She began to regularly meet with Noam, who had no friends ,and was failing in
school. Mulu built Noam an independent program to help him develop his social skills.
Even such details as how to enter the school and how to sit at his desk were covered.

During the first three meetings, Noam did not talk with Mulu. Every time she would
mention family, he would cry. After a period, Noam began to share his feelings with the
mediator. Finally, after many meetings, Noam revealed to Mulu that he has a brother in
jail. He began to open up, and a change could be felt.

Mulu tried to raise Noam’s motivation to succeed in school. Mulu would often talk of
how important school is. Slowly, but surely, her work began to pay off. She learned that
Noam was performing better, and behaving better. Still not perfect, small achievements
on a daily basis were like great leaps in Mulu’s eyes.

So when Mulu was invited to a special committee meeting that would determine Noam’s
fate in school, and whether he would proceed to eighth grade or need to remain a
grade or change schools, Mulu was prepared. She asked the organizer if she had
spoken recently to any of his teachers, or whether the conference was based on his
earlier behavior and performance. Discovering the latter was true; Mulu insisted that
the meeting organizer and the school guidance counselor speak with each of Noam’s
teachers before the meeting.

Indeed, at the meeting, in the presence of Noam’s mother, the family’s social worker,
a community worker, guidance counselor and others, the organizer apologized. “It
appears I was mistaken in having convened this meeting,” she explained. “By all
reports, Noam is functioning in class. I have been told how much he has improved. We
are amazed at what we heard.”

Mulu is hopeful Noam will complete school and even go to college. In addition, ENP’s
SPACE Program is providing Noam with small group after-school scholastic assistance. 

Mulu’s work with Noam is not isolated. In all, Mulu works with 29 students on an
intensive one on one basis. The school-wide work she carries out in two schools
encompasses some 550 Ethiopian-Israeli children. She arranges parents groups, and
in particular invites parents whose children are having difficulties in school. She meets
two parents groups once a week for 12 meetings each.

Indeed, Mulu is making an immense contribution in her professional capacity. But her
job gives back as much to her as she gives to it: “My love and passion is working with
Ethiopian-Israeli youth, helping them understand that they, too, can achieve all they
hope for. I feel with teenagers I can make the greatest contribution, and serve as a
personal example. I came at 14. I made it. They can, too.”