Elias Beyene Alben & Daniel Sahleyesus Telake

RESUME

Company: ELDAN Schools
What it does: Runs schools for 1250 children in Jimma & Agaro towns with a plan to branch out to other parts of the country.
Employees: 77
Start up capital: Personal savings, support from friends & relatives.
Qualification:
Elias - BSc, Physics; Diploma, Business Administration.
Daniel - PhD, Sociology/Demography - UWO, Canada; Dr. Phil, Development Studies - Bremen, Germany.
Age: Both are 44 years young.

It is private enterprises that built the world’s greatest countries. Enterprises are still few and far between in our country – a nation which for decades had all things done for it or on it by the government of the day.
Enturpreuner profile has featured dynamic business personalities, fledgling inventors and innovators, environmentally conscious industrials and other entrepreneurial leaders and role models throughout this half-year, making it one of CAPITAL’s most read sections.
This week, we feature for the first time two self employed individuals nominated by our online readers and who were chosen by EP for a special reason:- They are engaged in a vitally important endeavor that may yet produce entrepreneurs in the very near future.
Capital warmly welcomes nominations to Entrepreneur Profile and looks forward to introducing more upwardly mobile model citizens.

BIG PICTURE

Reason for starting business:- To provide children with a positive learning environment where they can excel academically, socially, emotionally and physically according to their individual needs.
Biggest draw back:- Lack of adequate financing for expansion and innovations.
Most difficult part of job:- Denying admission due to lack of space.
Biggest business strength: Our policy of involving volunteers, parents and the community in the teaching and learning process; our emphasis on recruiting and retaining talented faculty and administrative staff.
Smartest move:- Opening the first of our schools at the right time in a town where we both grew up.

DAILY ROUTINE

Top source of inspiration:- Success stories of others in any field of business or other disciplines.
Most challenging task:- Maintaining the momentum to beat our own immediate past achievements.
Biggest frustration:-When simple questions lack solutions.

PERSONALS

Key goal yet to achieve:- To see all or almost all of our 8th graders passing the national exam with flying colors. Five year plan:- To see as many of our students joining higher education institutions and in 15 -20 years time, we would like to hold our homecoming in the presence of the first group of ELDAN’s high achievers.
Most interested in meeting:- Elias - Positive thinkers. Daniel – Individuals who believe in doing whatever little good to others if they can, and others who choose not to do the opposite despite their helplessness to do good.
Most admired entrepreneur:- Elias - Dr Belay, founder of the first cardiac hospital in Ethiopia.
Favourite past times:- Elias-Visiting friends. Daniel- Creative cooking
Favourite book:- Elias- ‘Amist sidist sebat’, by Sibihat G. Egziabher Daniel- Tsegaye G.Medhin’s ‘Isat woy Abeba’
Favourite film: - Elias -Titanic Daniel - A Beautiful Mind
Favorite destination:- Ethiopia
(-Mina Yirga)