Howard University Ethiopian eritrean student association

Annually, we invite the Howard community, alumni, and greater DMV area to join us for a night of authentic cuisine, traditional dances of Ethiopian and Eritrean tribes, raffles, auctions, and much more, to fundraise for our partners at Beloved Mission. We donate 100% of our profits from this event to exhibit our support for the work Beloved Mission does while also celebrating the beauty of our culture's food, dances, and art.

Beloved Mission is a nonprofit organization founded in 2022 in order to aid families and children living below the poverty line in affording access to medical care. The nonprofit identifies children and families who are in need of medication coverage assistance, and provides comprehensive support systems to equip children, their families, and communities to rise above the poverty line and decrease disease burden.

To learn more, visit www.belovedmission.org

In the past 4 years of hosting Benefit Dinner, Howard EESA has raised a total of $16,807. With this money, Beloved Mission has fueled numerous initiatives surrounding chemotherapy assistance, diagnostic & nutritional assitance, pediatric care screening and much more. Reinforcing our pillar of service and humanitarianism, we put our money where our mouth is!

For our Silent Auction and Raffle items, we gather items from numerous Ethiopian and Eritrean, as well as Howard student or alumni owned businesses to connect them with new audiences while supporting Beloved Mission. Additionally, the dinner is purchased from Habesha Market, a Howard staple for authentic Ethiopian cuisine for over 20 years. Supporting  local businesses is what keeps us connected to our community and allows us to host such large scale events like Benefit Dinner!

Traditionally, we have had performances from our dance team Kibret, and fashion shows from The Genesis Models. For Benefit Dinner 2026, we were able to secure Saxophonist Rediet Hailu with her sister Fikir Hailu on the drums to transport us home with the sweet sounds of Ethiopian Jazz. This was a transformative stride in creating the ambiance of our history and culture, leaving attendees with a greater understanding of our heritage.

Howard EESA's Kibret Dance Team performs traditional dances from tribes all over Ethiopia and Eritrea. While wearing the colorful garments of our ancestors and after weeks of practice, their perfomance allows us to travel back to the motherland right from our seats.

After sharing the rich food, music, and dances of our culture, we gather on the dance floor to celebrate our hertiage and unity for a cause greater than ourselves. Memories are made, friendships are born, and the ballroom is full of vivacious energy!