Seleshi Asfaw came to the United States from Ethiopia in 1997 to escape an oppressive regime.  Once he arrived in Columbus, he saw the difficulties that Ethiopians and other East African immigrants faced: language barriers, loss of cultural knowledge among children, and the nutritional difficulties that come with access to a completely new set of foods.  In reaction to these problems, Asfaw formed Ethiopian Tewahedo Social Services, which offers English classes, after-school programs, parenting classes, and instruction in Amharic, a major Ethiopian language.  The mission statement of ETSS is “To assist Ethiopian Families and Children in Central Ohio improve the quality of their lives and facilitate their integration to American society through education, training, supportive services and self-development opportunities,” according to ethiotss.org.  Asfaw was also involved in the formation of a few other organizations, such as the Fountain of Life Organization and the Refugee-Immigrant Chamber of Commerce.

    At this point, you’re probably wondering what, if anything, this has to do with local foods.  The largest staple crop in Ethiopia is a grain called teff, which Asfaw described as having very tiny seeds.  “It is highly nutritious,” he said, pointing out the high fiber content.  “Demand is growing, more and more.”  For the 1.2 million Ethiopians in America, this grain has major cultural and nutritional significance.  In Ethiopia, teff is used to create a traditional flat, sour bread called injera, which is consumed with nearly every meal.  In fact, according to www.teffgong.com, teff supplies about 2/3 of the nutritional needs of the people and livestock in Ethiopia.  There’s just one problem.
    “It is only grown in Ethiopia,” Asfaw said.  Attempts to find an effective way to grow teff in Ohio have been unsuccessful so far.  The yield tends to be low, and the grain is often used to feed animals.  However, other parts of the United States have had a bit more luck.  “In Idaho, they are successful in growing teff,” Asfaw said.  For now, the Ethiopian population in Columbus is looking out for other Ethiopian foods that may be more accessible and for American foods that can fill the nutritional gap left by teff.  “We want to do a farmers market for the Ethiopians in the future,” Asfaw said, noting that he came from a farming family himself.
    For more information about Ethiopian Tewahedo Social Services, visit www.ethiotss.org.