ETHIOPIA: An Ethiopian Elected to IMCS Pan African Coordination Office

The International Movement of Catholic Students (IMCS) Africa had its 12th Pan African Assembly and also celebrated its 60th anniversary in Abidjan, Cote D’ Ivoire under the theme; “African youth celebrating 60 years of engagement in sustainable integral human development and in conversation for future action” from October 09-19, 2018.

About 80 IMCS representatives and affiliates from 22 African countries were present, including the Pan African Coordination Team which is a sister organization, members of advocacy team, other regional coordinators, former Pan African coordinators as well as the African alumni who were also having a parallel meeting with their international and regional coordination team. At this IMCS Pan African Assembly, Ethiopia was represented by Fasika Lachore and Elsabeth Efrem.

The participants have been reflecting on issues which include e-waste management; migration; integral human development; student-chaplain interaction; doing community outreach; cultural exchange; sharing experiences; evaluating the movement; reaffirming their commitment to their policy issues; hearing from their sister organization, their advocacy team, other regional coordinators, the international team and former Pan African coordinators and the alumni. They have also been reflecting on the theme of the just ended Synod on the Youth, which was taking place in Rome.

During the Pan African Assembly which is held every 4 years, elections are held to elect new leaders to lead the IMCS Pan African Coordination office – an Anglophone and a Francophone. This year, there were 7 candidates from Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Togo, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Ghana, Nigeria and Ethiopia. And Ethiopia’s Fasika Lachore Laba and DRC’s Monganzimbi Kwenzongo Aurellie have been elected to lead the Movement for the next 4 years.

Fasika Lachore was leader of the student movement in Bahir Dar, Ethiopia. After graduating with a Degree in Information Technology in July 2015, he went on to work in the Eparchy of Bahir Dar – Dessie in Communications and Pastoral office and was the contact person for the student Movement in the eparchy. He has also taken part in a two-month internship in the IMCS Pan African Coordination Office in Nairobi – Kenya, during the summer of 2016.

Currently, Fasika Lachore is working at St. Vincent Dawn of Hope Catholic School in Bahir Dar and he is pursuing a Master’s Degree in Software Engineering in Bahir Dar University. He was recommended by IMCS Ethiopia to run for the office since he fulfils all the criteria put forth by the IMCS Pan African Coordination Office. Therefore, IMCS Ethiopia is very pleased and thankful to God for his election.

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By Makeda Yohannes, ECS Communications Coordinator