Dahaba was born in the village of Whenehebe, where her family stayed on their way from Eritrea to the Shemelba camp in Ethiopia. (This camp is in the Tigray region, where there is currently significant unrest.) She was resettled in Providence along with her siblings, aunt, and grandmother. If you’ve seen the documentary called Home Across Lands, then you’ve already met Dahaba’s 5-year-old self!
Dahaba loves her life in America but also recognizes that we are surrounded by myths. She questions the American Dream because she sees members of her family working terribly hard but not ‘getting ahead.’ Yet, she also wonders if society might be growing more accepting. While she’s experienced cruelty and ignorance in school, her current school, Blackstone Academy, takes a student-centered approach and celebrates all cultures. She hopes to pursue further education and especially likes the way math can be a universal language.
Dahaba is a natural leader, upbeat and positive. She tends to be the “taxi” both for her family and the other youth trainees. Juggling our job training program along with family responsibilities while being a senior has been a good challenge. She’s especially happy to be moving beyond Zoom to actual work in the kitchen and meeting people at farmer’s markets. She hopes to meet many of you there.
