Graduate Inbal receives her degree from Prof Dina Ben-Yehuda, Dean and Head of Hebrew University School of Medicine
It was a proud moment for our Hadassah-Achotenu Ethiopian-Israeli Scholarships in Health graduate, Inbal, and her fellow graduates, at the recent ceremony held at The Hebrew University in Jerusalem.
Receiving her degree and being photographed with the professor of the most prestigious medical school in Israel, Inbal is clearly a success story, not only graduating as part of the Hadassah-Achotenu Scholarships in Health program, but also securing her career as a graduate nurse. It is a marvellous personal success story and, as the first in her household to study at university, she has become a role model to her family, friends and community. Inbal is happily working fulltime as a paediatric nurse at Barzilai Hospital in Ashkelon.
During her visit to Australia in May 2022, Inbal said:
I can confidently say that without the Hadassah-Achotenu scholarship program I wouldn’t be where I am today.
Inbal’s story is outstanding when we consider the context.
One out of every three Ethiopian-Israeli families currently live below the poverty line, and even though the majority of Ethiopian Jews came to Israel some time ago, the population has not yet fully integrated. While many Ethiopian Israelis dream of attending university, they struggle to earn a place, typically scoring 25 per cent lower in the Psychometric Entrance Test - a requirement for university admission in Israel.
Our Hadassah-Achotenu Ethiopian-Israeli University Scholarships in Health program broke through the psychometric entrance test barrier by using an alternative pathway for university admission – this was a major success factor. Using an alternative diagnostic tool, the Hebrew University Henrietta Szold School of Nursing identifies candidates who:
- are highly motivated
- believe in themselves
- have an aptitude for their chosen profession
The proof is in the pudding and now, with over 20 successful graduates working in Israel’s health system and another cohort on its way, the importance of the program cannot be underestimated. What an impact!
This was echoed in the words of Israel’s First Lady, Michal Herzog:
Achotenu is such a wise program and such an important program. That is because it doesn’t ignore the challenges of Aliyah and absorption, but alongside them it looks at the enormous advantages and the wonderful opportunity brought to the entire State of Israel by the Ethiopian immigration.
The Hadassah-Achotenu Ethiopian-Israeli Scholarships in Health deliver an alternative pathway for disadvantaged Ethiopian-Israelis to gain a university education leading to a guaranteed career in healthcare. At the same time, the program assists in resolving Israel's chronic shortage of nurses and occupational therapists.
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