Phenomenal Woman

She’s a no-nonsense type of woman. Bold. Creative. Courageous. Persistent. Outspoken. She refers to herself as ” constructively aggressive”. I have never really embraced a role model before beyond my mother and…

Unlearning Misconceptions

I cannot imagine anything more rewarding that comes to agents of change than when their persistence and commitment to a certain cause bears fruit. This has been the case in pastoralist communities…

Blogging for Choice

Today is Blog for Choice day in the US. Every year for the past six years, NARAL Pro-Choice America has been virtually gathering bloggers to get people talking on issues surrounding reproductive…

Petals of Pride

  Mama, don’t put me under the knife Give not to culture A slice of my precious life My body I feel you holding In the warmth of a mothers touch Betrayed…

Banking on Women

It has been almost 17 years since Ethiopia entered the sphere of private sector banking. Since 1994 the country has witnessed the birth of a small albeit profitable financial sector with around…

The Girl that Moved a Mountain

“I don’t think she was abducted or raped. The health report did not specify that she was a fresh virgin. No one wants to rape anyone who is not a virgin. Maybe…

Afraid of the ‘F’ Word?

Don’t be! It’s really not what anti-‘f’-ers make it out to be. A few days ago a virtual passer-by left me a comment on a previous post suggesting that I forget about…

Why You Should Know Awra Amba

I remember the day I discovered a story on the community of Awra Amba in northern Ethiopia. My feelings were a mixture of excitement, disbelief and eagerness to find out more, to…

The 'G' Word

I have been back in Ethiopia now for close to three months and I’ve had many opportunities to network. Every time I talk to people who don’t necessarily work around my area…