Seifu was born on June 11, 1953, in the Aleltu, Shoa providence of Ethiopia, and he spent his teenage years in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. By nature, Seifu is humble, quiet, and honest. He likes all sports including boxing and athletics. He always liked to be in places where his communities came together, whether it was the annual soccer tournament or the Sunday church service. From childhood, he was involved in the development of his community and was a mentor for young people to help them stay out of trouble while working at his local Y.M.C.A. Through sports, he traveled to many countries around the world. Seifu represented his native land in two Olympics, and because of this achievement, in the 1970’s, he was honored by many notable African leaders including Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia, Jomo Kenyatta of Kenya, Idi Amin of Uganda and Kenneth Kaunda of Zambia. Seifu has been our greatest source of inspiration and courage. Deep in our hearts we will always keep his image.