About Fresh and Green
Discover More About Fresh and GreenMuday Mitiku's Story
Founder of Friends of Fresh and Green Academy
Friends of Fresh and Green Academy was inspired by the Fresh and Green Academy in Addis Ababa Ethiopia, a school founded 18 years ago by a local Ethiopian teacher, Muday Mitiku. Friends of Fresh and Green helps support the children of the academy with funds for food, education, and a safe environment so Muday can continue the school and its crucial work within the larger community.
Muday was born an only child in Kasanchis, Addis Ababa. She was enrolled in a private school from kindergarten and continued there until the sixth grade, after which she enrolled in government school; Garji. She has been a member of the Baha’i religion from the age of nine and started teaching children at the Baha’i center when she was fifteen.
Muday started her secondary education at Bole Medaham then joined a teachers college; B.G.K. in 1999 for a diploma in teaching and later pursued Business Management at City College.
Muday’s teaching and business training, as well as her experience teaching at the Baha’i center, motivated her to open her own learning institution. She started Fresh and Green as a “for profit” kindergarten in 2000 with a business partner. When she started to bring in kids off the streets, free of charge, the school lost money. Muday soon partnered with Friends of Fresh and Green Academy and, with hard work, dedication, and help from many generous donors, the school has since become a beacon of hope for the community.
Today, with help from many people, Fresh and Green Academy is providing over 250 in-need children with education and nutrition. Along with the government required curriculum, the students enjoy classes in Art, Music, English, Computers, and Values and Morals. The children and their families are now drinking clean water as well.
Muday is a friend, wife, mother, and visionary. Her passion has become our passion and Muday’s dream has become our dream. Together we all can make a difference in the world.
The Academy
Learn More About The Fresh and Green Academy
Fresh and Green Academy was started by Muday (pronounced Moo-dye) Mitiku in the Yeka Kifle Ketema neighborhood in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in 2000.
Originally it was founded as a for-profit school, but when Muday saw there were so many hungry children begging on the streets, she started to let them in to the school. The parents of the students who were paying tuition objected to their children going to school with the street children and pulled out.
Enter some intrepid flight attendants. On a life-changing volunteer trip to Fresh and Green Academy, they saw the school was in dire need of funds or it would fold. Trish Hack-Rubinstein, Amir Schutzer and Tim McNamee founded “Friends of Fresh and Green” as a not-for-profit corporation, whose sole mission is to keep the school going.
Today the school provides three meals a day, an education and basic medical care to over 250 students, pre-Kindergarten through 8th grade. The 50 graduates who are in high school also receive books, uniforms and meals. It also supports a Mother’s Cooperative that allows the mothers of the students to make crafts, thus empowering them and allowing them to feed their other children and themselves.
Board of Directors
Meet The Team Who Make Things Happen
Trish Hack
Founder and President
Trish grew up in Las Vegas, NV and is now living on the big island in Hawaii. She has recently retired after a 35-year career as a flight attendant and has done numerous volunteer projects from summer camps for troubled teens to soup kitchens.
On a life-changing trip to Fresh and Green Academy in 2008, the school was in transition and dangerously low on funding. Trish saw the need for her help and expertise. Upon her return to the United States, she helped found Friends of Fresh and Green, Inc. As President and co-founder, Trish travels to the Academy several times a year and is the cornerstone of the organization. Thanks to her efforts, the school and Mothers’ Cooperative continue to thrive.
“I have been so very blessed with amazing family, friends, and experiences. I feel it is my purpose in life to help where I can, and after being with the children of Fresh and Green Academy, I know it is my calling to do all I can to help them.”
Neil Jones
Executive Officer
Neil was born and raised in Toronto, Canada and recently retired after 31 years as Captain with Air Canada. His varied career includes running an Engineering Design and Consulting firm for the last 21 years as well as dabbling in Physics and Astronomy at York University.
Having met Trish Hack-Rubinstein by chance, he was in New York playing at the Casino Night a month later, and at the school in Addis Ababa a month after that. Seeing an opportunity to help, he was quickly involved in the website, campaigning and organizing fundraisers and has since attended several events geared towards spreading the word amongst the Ethiopian dispora in North America. He and a diverse team have established a parallel registered charity, Canadian Friends of Fresh and Green Academy, to better serve the many Canadian donors to the cause.
“I can only describe my experience in meeting Muday and the children of Fresh and Green Academy as it was reflected in my two daughters’ eyes when we went again 3 months later. What a worthy cause this is to bring a future to children who had little hope to even survive. I am glad to be a part of Muday and Trish’s vision.”
Christopher Loreck
Executive Officer
Christopher is originally from Boston, and now resides in San Francisco, CA. He is currently enrolled at American University’s School of International Service to get his Master’s in IR, while also working at Salesforce.org as a Solution Engineer. Prior to starting in his current role, Christopher worked in government consulting where he served on the leadership committee for the Middle East and North Africa to Booz Allen Hamilton, while also working with NGOs in the region providing pro-bono consultancy around youth development and empowerment with technology.
Christopher learned about Fresh & Green Academy from his work at Salesforce, a generous man working for a generous customer resource management business. He immediately used his company-sponsored volunteer time to visit the school and was an immediate hit with the kids. He gained valuable insight into the challenges these kids face and an appreciation for Ethiopian culture and history.
He brings a wealth of technical knowledge and energy to our board.