Help Bini Battle a Brain Tumor

UPDATE: If you would prefer to donate locally in Ethiopia, the bank account information is below.

What can you say about an activist, a poet, a progenitor of shower thoughts?

Biniam Getaneh Kifle... Our names may be given to us, but the paths we choose to explore create the world in which we live. For Bini, he has relentlessly explored those paths that brought joy, love, and equity into this world. Now, he needs our help.

In January, Bini was diagnosed with a brain tumor. But here's the thing: we don't know if it's cancerous, because we can't reach it easily. The tumor is down in the center of his brain, thus a biopsy requires special equipment (a stereotactic needle biopsy, for those of you in the know) - because if it's not done correctly, it can cause a stroke or worse. Unfortunately, this equipment isn't available in Ethiopia, so we're sending him to India to get the biopsy done and start on a course of treatment. Right now, we don't know what that treatment is since it will depend on if the tumor is cancerous or benign.

No matter the result, this will not be an easy course, whether it requires brain surgery, chemotherapy, or proton therapy. Help us make sure that we can get Bini the treatment he needs.

Bini the Poet

In 2016, a friend of ours began Poetic Saturdays, an open space for people of all stripes to come and speak their truth. Over the next four years, our team grew it into one of the largest free-speech spaces in Ethiopia. In 2021, Bini led the hosting of the very first Ethiopia National Poetry Slam, culminating in our hosting of the 2022 Africa Cup of Slam Poetry, with the largest live online poetry competition in history with an in-person finale with the top eight poets from across the continent dueling it out in Addis Ababa. To this day, Bini remains Ethiopia's ambassador for the Africa Cup of Slam Poetry.

For years, Bini gave and gave to the poetry scene here in Ethiopia. Now, it's time for us to help out someone who has brought so much love and inspiration into this world.

'Let's fix this' is the most romantic thing you've ever said to me.

Wallowing in a pool of unassertiveness under that glare of yours pinning me down, I replied...

Only words couldn't gather themselves and dress up with what I wanted to reply, I tried

'Speechless'... They say

'Mute' : said yours truly hereby

You saw my scars, one in particular

As you went in deep cutting along the stream layer by layer

Falling short of three under par

One for you

One for me

And one just in case

Just in case I heal

So, my eyes are dry, collect my blood and summon that beast I know

Tilt your head back and start to draw

Just a drop, and two and three and four

Don't suck on me I might live

Only then I won't be good for nothing at all

Just hold my neck and squeeze as much

Good for nothing is what I am, if you can't quench

We both know that thirsty is what you are .

-Biniam Getaneh Kifle

A Few #ShowerThoughts to Get You Through Your Day

For anyone who knows Bini, you know he's the king of random thoughts, a skill he shared through his #ShowerThoughts. Here's a tiny sampling:

Bathrooms should've been renamed to Brainstorming rooms.

But there's another storm happening already.

Have you ever wondered if your dogs and cats (if you have) have a name for you?

Patience

As a first born, I am an emergency adult.

Help Bini get through this challenging time so that he can return to bringing love and joy into this world

Local donation information:

CBE account number: 1000529173435

Firesenay Mulugeta

AND/OR

Yohannes Haile