Story and Photography by: Ellene Mocria + AWIB Team
Multi-Passionate Veteran Journalist and Media Trainer
My Story
I was born in 1941 in the Merkato area of Addis Ababa at the end of the Ethio-Italian war and right before Emperor Haile Selassie returned home. I grew up in a big family with my parents, grandparents, uncles, aunts along with extended families and relatives. I attended Zenebework (now Mrs. Ford) School and after two years, I joined the English School, Sanford.
My childhood was fun; I was brought up to be a free person. I was very active in high school and was one of the only 2 Ethiopian women who played tennis. I acted in plays and performed in various schools, and I was the only Ethiopian woman competing in horse racing at the Racing Club. I did not have a horse of my own so I was competing with a horse that belonged to an Italian man. Hence he got all the prizes that I won. Eventually my father bought me a horse to ride privately.
“Let us, the women, take the lead and show how we can fix our country by bringing positive change.”
After high school, I wanted to study social work but before I was admitted, I got a scholarship to go to Beirut to study Nursing in the American University of Beirut. After studying for a year, I was capped and started treating and medicating patients. One day, I gave the wrong medication to a patient. I was shocked and reported my mistake. I was given a warning that I would be dismissed if I made the same mistake again. I loved music and dancing and used to teach the other students dancing. About 2 or 3 months later, I committed the same mistake. Against my friends’ advice I reported it. A few weeks later, I was told by the administration “you have too many interests to be a nurse” and was dismissed.
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