Meet Halima

Halima Lolo is Treasurer of Gadab Foundation

Born in a small town called Assassa, in Oromia, Halima came to the United States in 2000. After completing her high school with honor, Halima was accepted to Gustavus Adolphus College (One of the best four- year colleges in the area). Halima is a 4.0 student, and her outstanding academic achievement and her desire for success have made her the recipient of North End Community Scholarship, Paul Rucker Scholarship, Dean's Scholarship and Gustavus Scholarship. Halima has recently transfered to University of Minnesota. She was also a member of National Honor Society. She was an honor roll student for eight consecutive semesters and graduated top ten of Arlington High School Class of 2005. As a result of her hard work and dedications, she has been awarded numerous academic awards. Halima has also been certified for wining the science fair project in biology. While in High School, Halima has balanced her social and academic life well.

She has been an active member of Multicultural Excellent Program (MEP), Upward Bound, Admission Possible, and she was also a founder of Oromo Student Association at Arlington High School where she helped new coming Oromo students with English language, homework, and adapt to the American lifestyle. Halima has had an internship at 3M for the past two years in Aerospace and in product development division where she had been supervised by PhD chemists. Her work involved performing in laboratory and data analysis.

As giving back to her community meant a lot to Halima, she has volunteered at The Science Museum of Minnesota, and the Minnehaha Recreation Center, where she helped kids with home work and other activities. She has worked with Habitat for Humanity and helped Race for the Cure and many others. She has also been in a house leadership group while in high school and helped the school create a healthy and enjoyable environment for the incoming students.

One of Halima’s biggest dreams is to help her people back in Africa. She says “My plan is to get my PhD with Pharmaceutical science and help my Oromo people by providing them with sufficient medicine that they need which is one of the biggest problem in the country. To put that into an action, I am planning to go back home afterward.”

While pursuing her goal here in America, Halima feels that it is her duty to help her Oromo people who have lived with lack of education for so long by providing the support that they need to pursue their dream. “As a board member of Gadab Foundation Scholarship Program, it is my obligation to encourage young generations living in United States to do the same for their community. I believe that by giving back to our community not only can we change the life of individuals, but change the life of the entire Oromo people.”

Halima's favorite quote is: "Education makes people easy to lead, but difficult to drive; easy to govern, but impossible to enslave." (Henry Peter Broughan)

Halima may be reached by e-mail at: halima@gadabfoundation.org