Which women inspired you as a young girl?
My mother. She is the reason my career followed the path of education equity and female empowerment. She experienced the challenges that young women in Ethiopia faced in the 1950s—and still face today. Despite the odds, my mother is among the first women in our family to get a formal education and attend university, which gave her access to economic opportunities. She raised me to be a confident, kind, and brave woman without gender-based barriers and limitations. My commitment to educating girls and empowering women in Ethiopia is rooted in my mother’s example.

Which women inspire you now?
The mothers we serve and work with at Seeds of Africa. They are driven, focused, and dedicated to changing their families’ lives through small business entrepreneurship. It is incredible to witness how they beam with hope for an even better future. They remind me of my own mother, working hard to break the cycle of poverty and gender-based inequality for their children. I’m also honored to work with my team of five talented women under the age of 30, who have chosen a life of servitude, social justice, and purpose.