Kassahun (Kass) Kebede, a professor of sociology at Eastern Washington University, journeyed halfway around the world to Cheney to establish Libraries in Ethiopia, a literacy program in his home country. His “walk” to his current home and role as associate professor of sociology and justice

In a heartfelt presentation at Spokane’s South Hill Library on February 2, 2025, Eastern Washington University associate professor Kassahun Kebede shared his inspiring journey and mission to foster literacy and a reading culture among children in Ethiopia. Kebede, a cultural sociologist who has called Cheney,

This spring marked a wonderful milestone for the Libraries for Ethiopia Fund (LiFEF) as we completed one of our most direct and joyful initiatives to date: a major book distribution event. Over the course of several weeks in 2023 and early 2024, our team, with

We are thrilled to share a significant update on our flagship project: the Sendafa-Beke Public Library. Thanks to the foundational $5,000 raised since our launch, the renovation work has officially begun! The building, generously provided by the local government, is now a hive of activity.

The Libraries for Ethiopia Fund wasn’t born in a boardroom; it was born from a memory. “I remember spilling coffee on my teacher’s only textbook as a child,” says Kassahun (Kass) Kebede, our founder and president. “The shame of that moment, the feeling of having