This free script provided by
JavaScript Kit
18/04/2020 23:45 PM
Veteran Yordanos Haile: Eritrean women will never equate being tired to being unable to contribute.
by Kiki Tsegai.
Veteran Yordanos Haile, I took upon myself to find remarkable stories of female Eritrean Veterans. Yours’ is one of them. Listening to all testimonies about you by other Veterans, I did not need to go far.
You and I never met in person, but I feel I knew you from few of your superiors then and your comrades told me. You fought the fight, you survived the un-survivable war for our freedom and yet a killer virus that came from nowhere killed you. What was uniquely spectacular about you? It was your normal kindness and accessibility. You lived your after-independence life away from a land you loved so much, that in itself breaks my heart! Yet, you are one of those people that draw from your life of military experience and continued to lead a life of purpose and service for your people, in the diaspora. What better way to honor you and your brethren on a Day I want so much to be born in our future government: an Eritrean Veterans’ Day.
Your life opened my eyes to the poverty, the oppression, and the human needs, you found in our Eritrea the day Asmara fell. Your time abroad was rife with new experiences, but also strengthened many of the values you held dear; volunteerism service in your community, integrity and faith were values you identified with and kept as yours.
You are – for me – the embodiment of virtue, mind training wisdom and yet, you are the one that testified silently to the rhetoric of the contrary that discrimination by our first government exists and needs to be rectified. For, discrimination against veterans never equated being away from our land to be unable to contribute! You left us with myriads of ways to help and create a sense of community for which Eritreans yearn.
What were you dreams once back home Yordanos? I will try to list them and make them mine. I promise you to be part of the community of ALL our united Veterans! I promise you and ALL our Martyrs that bringing communities together and promote healthier lifestyles, I will make my duty!
Yordanos for you, service for your people was a gift you were always ready to give. It gave meaning to your life in this world!
I am proud of you for being able to do something significant in your life; so much positive you left as an example! You saw bravery, kindness and evil up close! Your legacy tells us that if each of us makes a difference, in time it will make a large alteration to the pain we live today. You told us that being humane and just while at war is difficult, but it differentiate us from dictators! You protected the innocent lives around you and as far away as my children’s, where we might have been! For that and more – dear Veteran – I am grateful and proud of you. Veterans like you tell humanity that war might never end in this world, but we must prepare for showing kindness even to our enemies.
Yordanos Haile, I look at you and I feel vulnerable facing a virus, and yet strong because of the smile you left me with! Eritrean women will never equate being tired to being unable to contribute.
The rhythm of pushing and pulling in life will make us pick up only the right refill of courage that hums within us all day long. The life of “other things” will be the discoveries you left us with and we promise to keep going.
Rest in courage dear Veteran. I wish life gave me the opportunity to meet you! I will make sure that your seat is covered with flowers each time we will celebrate the Eritrean Veterans’ Day, be it in our land or in the diaspora.
With love and gratitude,
Kiki Tzeggai
April 16, 2020
"Of all the forces that make for a better world, none is so powerful as hope. With hope, one can think, one can work, one can dream. If you have hope, you have everything."
"Peace is a wall we will all create by building it brick-by-brick together". (Trade mark)
Share with friends:
AME ሓርበኛታት ኤርትራውያን ተጋደልቲ ነበር ኣብ ፓርኪን ይንከራተታ። ኢሳይያስ ከኣ መስዋእቲ፡ መውጋእቲን ድኻምን ዝተኸፍለላ ሃገር ይሸይጥ።
Share with friends: