Viral fundraisers in Addis raise money and questionsCEFR A2
12 Nov 2025
Adapted from Endalkachew Chala, Global Voices • CC BY 3.0
Photo by Gift Habeshaw, Unsplash
Social media fundraisers in Addis use short clips and simple visuals to get donations. A TikTok clip near Bole showed Tamru describing illness and hardship and ended with cash in his hand. After the clip went viral, people sent money.
Within weeks more than USD 1,576 moved through Tamru’s bank account, and an estimated USD 2,120 to 2,425 went to other accounts tied to associates of a masked organiser. The funds were meant to buy a Bajaj so Tamru could work, but Tamru says the promise did not hold and he later wired USD 1,212. He spoke in a nearly three-hour interview on Eyoha Media to seek answers.
Difficult words
- struggle — Difficulties or challenges faced.struggles
- receive — To get something given to you.receives
- donate — To give something for free to help.donated
- suspicious — Feeling that something is wrong.
- experience — What someone goes through or lives.
- fundraising — Collecting money for a purpose.
- transparency — Openness about actions and decisions.
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- Why do you think people choose to donate money online?
- What are the risks of online fundraising?
- How can transparency in fundraising affect donors' trust?
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