From Dishwasher to Millionaire, Ethiopian Refugee Achieves American Dream (in Minneapolis)
Tashitaa Tufaa drives one of his company's largest school buses, which seats 70 pupils, in Fridley, Minnesota, Aug. 9, 2017. Tufaa's company owns nearly 300 buses. (Photo: Abdi Mohamud for VOA)
MINNEAPOLIS - When Tashitaa Tufaa first arrived in Minneapolis from Ethiopia in 1992, he remembers craning his head skyward in disbelief. Looking up at the tallest skyscraper he had ever seen, he began counting the stories until he couldn’t count anymore. Eventually, he found out the building had 55 floors.
It was a long way from Negele Arsi district in the Oromia region of Ethiopia where he grew up. As a child, he worked alongside his 13 siblings on the family farm.
Now he’d have to do other types of work. He thought he had a fluent command of English that would open doors in the job market.
“But I found out that I didn't after I came to Minneapolis,” he said.
Tashitaa Tufaa, owner, CEO and president of Metropolitan Transportation Network Inc., at the company's headquarters, in Fridley, Minnesota, Aug. 9, 2017.
So he began as a dishwasher at the Hilton Hotel, earning $5.65 an hour. Eventually, he held as many as three jobs at once, including ones at manufacturing companies and another as a security guard.
The small paychecks of those days are long gone for Tufaa, who is now president of a successful bus company.
Each day, Metropolitan Transportation Network carries more than 15,000 children to schools, field trips and other destinations in Minneapolis and other Minnesota cities. The multimillion-dollar transportation company has more than 300 employees and recently moved to a new, larger operations center.
WATCH: From Dishwasher to Millionaire, Ethiopian Refugee Achieves American Dream
https://www.voanews.com/usa/dishwasher-millionaire-ethiopian-refugee-achieves-american-dream
When asked the secrets of his success, Tashita replied, it is tied to his strong family values. Now guys, go ahead and continue with your intellectual debate how you will marry 4 wives like your dads and barely see your children.
Tashitaa Tufaa drives one of his company's largest school buses, which seats 70 pupils, in Fridley, Minnesota, Aug. 9, 2017. Tufaa's company owns nearly 300 buses. (Photo: Abdi Mohamud for VOA)
MINNEAPOLIS - When Tashitaa Tufaa first arrived in Minneapolis from Ethiopia in 1992, he remembers craning his head skyward in disbelief. Looking up at the tallest skyscraper he had ever seen, he began counting the stories until he couldn’t count anymore. Eventually, he found out the building had 55 floors.
It was a long way from Negele Arsi district in the Oromia region of Ethiopia where he grew up. As a child, he worked alongside his 13 siblings on the family farm.
Now he’d have to do other types of work. He thought he had a fluent command of English that would open doors in the job market.
“But I found out that I didn't after I came to Minneapolis,” he said.
Tashitaa Tufaa, owner, CEO and president of Metropolitan Transportation Network Inc., at the company's headquarters, in Fridley, Minnesota, Aug. 9, 2017.
So he began as a dishwasher at the Hilton Hotel, earning $5.65 an hour. Eventually, he held as many as three jobs at once, including ones at manufacturing companies and another as a security guard.
The small paychecks of those days are long gone for Tufaa, who is now president of a successful bus company.
Each day, Metropolitan Transportation Network carries more than 15,000 children to schools, field trips and other destinations in Minneapolis and other Minnesota cities. The multimillion-dollar transportation company has more than 300 employees and recently moved to a new, larger operations center.
WATCH: From Dishwasher to Millionaire, Ethiopian Refugee Achieves American Dream
https://www.voanews.com/usa/dishwasher-millionaire-ethiopian-refugee-achieves-american-dream
When asked the secrets of his success, Tashita replied, it is tied to his strong family values. Now guys, go ahead and continue with your intellectual debate how you will marry 4 wives like your dads and barely see your children.
