Yonatan Aklilu
Yonatan Aklilu (; born 15 June 1979) is an Ethiopian motivator, teacher, and Gospel preacher. Yonatan is known for his project called Melkam Wetat. On 6 September 2020, the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize winner Prime minister Abiy Ahmed surprised Yonatan, for his contribution to the youth of Ethiopia by gifting him 25,000 euros that he had been awarded through the Hessian Peace Prize. Background. Yonatan was born in Kebri Mangest, Oromia, Ethiopia and raised in Negele Arsi, Oromia, Ethiopia. He completed his primary and secondary school in Negele Arsi. Yonatan received his Bachelor of Arts in Accounting and Finance  from Arba Minch University. He had served as a teacher at the Adventist College, Kuyera Africa Beza and the Rift Valley University College, for he had a great ambition to become a teacher since his childhood. But Yonatan did not follow this profession, but became a Gospel teacher, and launched a religious TV channel which is called Marcil after founding a church named Addis Kidan Kahinat. In 2017, Yonatan also launched a project called Melkam Wetat (Excellent Youth), which is more focused on the youth of Ethiopia regardless of their religious background, and has a mission to free young people  from their difficult behaviors and morally change them to become good citizens. More than 100,000 students graduated from this project. Melkam Wetat's head office is now in Hawassa, Ethiopia. On 21 December 2020, on behalf of his project, Melkam Wetat, Yonatan donated 10 million Ethiopian birr for a school feeding project that was launched by the Addis Ababa city administrator.