Advocacy team member
Jemal Hebeno was born and raised in Oromia before moving to the Unites State. He is a clinical pharmacist serving Franciscan St. Elizabeth Health Hospital Operation II and Pharmacy at Walmart in Lafayette, Indiana. He is a cum laude graduate of Purdue University in Doctor of Pharmacy. He also obtained a graduate degree in Water Resources Engineering with distinction from Katholic University of Leuven, Belgium. After earning BSc degree in Agricultural Engineering and Mechanization with honor from Finfinnee University, Hawassa campus; attended a one-year course at Karlsruhe Technical University, Germany for graduate degree in Resources Engineering. As young boy, at age 17 was arrested, harassed, and was nearly killed for his activism demanding for a better right, freedom, equality, and justice for Oromo. Moreover, run into serious disagreement with the authorities on a several occasions; arrested on a couple occasion at Ambo, West Shawa. He has been active throughout his youth fighting for social justice and equitable resources utilization. He lead the Oromo University students fight the Bale and Borana forest fire of the year 2000. He organized and led Oromo Students counsel at Hawassa University. He served Oromia Water Resources Bureau, West Shawa as Engineer and participated in more than six Irrigation construction and over dozens Study and design projects including water supply works. In addition, served the Menshen foer Menshen, Dara, North Shawa, at the capacity for department head. He served as secretary for Oromo Students Association of Belgium. He also worked as a secretary for Oromo Communities of Washington, DC and Columbus, Ohio. He later served as the President for Oromo Community Organization of Denver, Colorado. Actively involved in the politics, out of frustration, he was one of the founders of Front for Independence of Oromia, aka AWO. Jemal, on the top of running a private business in Denver, Colorado; he also helped 150 immigrant households gain economic independence.