The Seeds of Africa Lady Bosses
The founder of Seeds of Africa is a woman, our board members are primarily women, our entire U.S. team are women and more than 50% of our leadership team in Ethiopia are women. We've worked really hard to get here, and we are so proud to have women's empowerment at the core of our work. For Women's History Month, we're celebrating the female forces that make our organization so great. Get involved with our women's empowerment initiative here, and learn more about the Seeds lady boss's below.
Tsehay Legesse, Finance Manager
What inspires you about Seeds of Africa?
I am happy to work for Seeds because I can use my knowledge to help students be successful, and to empower women as well. I can’t help people in need in terms of money, but Seeds gives me the chance to help the community with my knowledge. Seeing the students progress every day inspired me a lot.
Why should we celebrate women during Women’s History Month?
It helps women who live across the world know their rights and responsibilities as part and parcel of the entire community. It also paves the way to teach the people that women and men are equal regardless of the biological differences we have.
Addisalem H, Cook & Cleaner
What inspires you about Seeds of Africa?
I am extremely happy to work at Seeds because, financially, I am more secure than ever before. Also, spending time with Seeds students makes my life more exciting. Their smiling faces and their freeness inspires me.
Why should we celebrate women during Women’s History Month?
We celebrate Women’s History Month because it is a public way to announce our equality. It should be celebrated more frequently so that we can be honored more often.
Emebet Aklilu, Head of Community Development
What inspires you about Seeds of Africa?
What inspired me most about Seeds is that we are working to accomplish two big interdependent agendas at one time: Women and Children. They are the pillars of the big nation, and without them, the existence of the nation is impossible. It is a blessing to be next to people in need, and to be able to help whenever they need you. The second thing that inspires me about this organization is the students’ boundless freedom, care for each other and for the school community as a whole. They all never hide their love and happiness, and it makes me happy to see them enjoying the school life.
Why should we celebrate women during Women’s History Month?
I personally believe, Women’s History Month should be celebrated in every corner of universe; it is the day that gives us the opportunity to participate in a country’s politics, economy, social domain. It is a day to honor us around the world. Our boundless contribution in the house and the work place should be remembered and honored every single day.
Serkalem Gudeta, Teacher
What inspires you about Seeds of Africa?
What inspires me about Seeds of Africa is that it provides free and quality education for those who are in need. It also gives various trainings and loans to the mothers of the students to improve their living conditions. Moreover, the different trainings that the teachers get through training agents is the best thing that could ever happen for a teacher. Whenever I attend the training, I feel like I’ve become the best teacher of the country. Lastly, the students loving approaches excites me a lot too.
Why should we celebrate women during Women’s History Month?
Women’s History Month should be celebrated every day. There should also be a day when single mothers should be honored so that people around the world can understand that women can raise children without the support of men.
Aster Asmare, KG Teacher
What inspires you about Seeds of Africa?
What inspires me about Seeds is the dedication to provide quality education, and how we change the lives of the parents as well. The kids I teach are a real source of happiness. I feel like the most blessed women because I get to work with those who are economically poor, but mentally driven.
Why should we celebrate women during Women’s History Month?
Women’s History Month should be celebrated because it sheds light on women’s achievements. Women have been undermined and suppressed in Ethiopia for too long, so giving recognition to them will help people avoid the attitude that parts of society still have. Women should always be considered an equally important part of the entire world.
Tsehai Lemma, Loan Recipient & Owner of Animal Husbandry
What inspires you about Seeds of Africa?
The other most exciting thing about Seeds is the education service that my daughter, Lelisu, gets. My daughter has begun teaching my husband and I some English words, which we never thought would be possible.
Why should we celebrate women during Women’s History Month?
Women’s boundless work has never been considered and recognized before. Our contribution to the family should be celebrated and recognized around the nation, and around the world as well.
Tesfanesh Abebe, Poultry Farmer
What inspires you about Seeds of Africa?
I have learned a lot from the trainings provided by Seeds of Africa that I took before getting my loan, especially the entrepreneurship training. The classes help me understand all about establishing and running a business that is both productive and profitable. I am also excited that I have the opportunity to send my daughter, Blen, to school!
Why should we celebrate women during Women’s History Month?
Women’s History Month and Men’s History Month should be celebrated around the world so that we can acknowledge our equality on both ends.
Maereg Fitih, Seamstress
What inspires you about Seeds of Africa?
Seeds inspires me because it supports me and my two boys. If it was not for Seeds of Africa’s boundless support, I would not have the life I do now.
Why should we celebrate women during Women’s History Month?
I strongly believe that it is good to celebrate Women’s History Month as it gives us the chance for women and girls to show our potential to the rest of the world. As a single mom, I am determined to face the challenges of life and support my kids with all my capacity to make them more productive and fruitful in the future.
Elia Johnson, Admin & Programs Intern
What inspires you about Seeds of Africa?
The thing that inspires me most about Seeds of Africa is the mission and the unwavering dedication of the employees to carry out its vision. Nurturing future scientists, teachers, and astronauts (like Biniyam) in vulnerable situations and providing the matriarchs with the necessary tools to maintain these star students dreams is not only inspiring, but it is what encourages me to get up and go to work everyday.
Why should we celebrate women during Women’s History Month?
Celebrating women this March is important because it puts the progression of women’s rights on the forefront. Recognizing women like Audre Lorde, Sorothy Height Sylvia Pankhurst and other women that Marched, demonstrated, and campaigned to make the opportunities that I have today possible are the reason I celebrate Women’s History Month. Recognizing these women allows me to recall how far women have come and warriors like Mala Yousafzai come to mind and remind me of the work that still needs to be done. This March we celebrate women’s history, but we also acknowledge the issues that are still on the agenda like women’s education, equal rights for Women of Color, Domestic and sexual violence, equal pay, and representation. So I encourage you to join the Seeds Team in celebrating Women’s History.
Grace Van Vooren, Development Associate
What inspires you about Seeds of Africa?
I have always been inspired by Seed's mission of uplifting a family not only through education but by strengthening the core of the household aka the female providers of our students. All of our loan recipients are incredibly smart, savvy, and strong. When providing women with loans we create blossoming entrepreneurs that earn respect from the community creating a reverse gender role that changes perspectives.
Why should we celebrate women during Women’s History Month?
It uplifts our community and future generations to do the same. I am so proud of our girl's club at Seeds. By uplifting their mothers, we show girls that anything is possible, to dream big and expand their careers to become leaders.
Sibabalwe Mona, Communications contractor
What inspires them about Seeds of Africa?
I love Seeds of Africa's values of empowering and investing in the lives and livelihoods of women and their children. African women have been entrepreneurs in the informal economy for decades, but are largely overlooked by actors in formal sectors as unworthy of capital investment. Seeds' efforts allow mothers to transcend poverty by recognizing their potential as businesswomen and offering opportunities to scale their businesses.
Why should we celebrate women during Women’s History Month?
Women have always been silent/silenced heroes, and yet systematically violated, brutalized and oppressed around the world. For me, Women's History Month is an opportunity for more engagement on the issues women face throughout history and in modern day, taking into account intersectionality and the unique struggles of women of color and women in the developing world. I'm spending the month brushing up on my feminist economics theory, being louder about gender based equality, and celebrating all the baddie, bossy, beautiful women of the world.
Stephanie Bond, Board Member & Director of Marketing Lennox Industries
What inspires them about Seeds of Africa?
The minute I stepped onto the campus of Seeds of Africa I was inspired by the courage and perseverance that the students have each day. These children overcome obstacles each day to fight for better education, all leading to a brighter future. I am inspired knowing that together we are making a difference, one child at a time.
Why should we celebrate women during Women’s History Month?
For the past 100 years, women have been fighting to improve our role and rights. While many awe-inspiring women all over the world have paved the way for those that have followed we still have a lot of work to do.
In the 1920's Helen Keller defied expectations to achieve a bachelor’s degree and inspired generations as an activist for disability rights after she lost her sight and hearing at a young age. In her own words: ‘Life is either a great adventure or nothing.’ And the the 1930's Eleanor Roosevelt showed vocal support of the rights of African-Americans and women’s rights. In her own words: 'Do what you feel in your heart to be right – for you’ll be criticized anyway. You’ll be damned if you do, and damned if you don’t.’
So through awareness of diversity, the efforts of inclusion and the endeavor of belonging we must improve. But until all women and children across the world truly have status, rights, and opportunities we shall continue to fight!
“We ask justice, we ask equality, we ask that all the civil and political rights that belong to citizens of the United States, be guaranteed to us and our daughters forever.” – Susan B. Anthony
Deirde Gaughan,Seeds of Africa Board of Directors & Soulful Impact CEO
What inspires them about Seeds of Africa?
I am inspired by the joyful community which has been created at Seeds of Africa. The students clearly recognize that they are cherished as individuals by the faculty and administration which empowers them to challenge themselves and reach their unique and fullest potential.
Why should we celebrate women during Women’s History Month?
Women’s History Month is important because the contributions of women are underrepresented in standardized curricula even today. The theme for 2019 is “Visionary Women: Champions of Peace & Nonviolence,” highlighting the role women have played in conflict resolution in their homes, schools, and communities. It is critical that we raise awareness in young people of the many role models who have dedicated their lives to reducing violence and promoting the common good for all.
Jolie Peters, Marketing Manager
What inspires them about Seeds of Africa?
I am constantly inspired by how Seeds of Africa values the role of women's leadership on all levels. From educating both our female and male students about the importance of women's equality, to hiring women for both admin and management, we set an example for the rest of the world about how powerful the female force can be. I am also inspired by our students and loan recipients perseverance and intelligence. They are both industrious and articulate, and I aspire to be as strong as them.
Why should we celebrate women during Women’s History Month?
I believe that we should celebrate women every month, but I am happy that we have the opportunity to spend time assessing just how much of an influence women have had on the world. This is a matter that often goes unnoticed by the media, and for no good reason. Women are so powerful, especially when we join forces. My favorite quote read, "empowered women, empower women." When we join together, nothing can stop us.
Atti Worku, Seeds of Africa Founder
What inspires you about Seeds of Africa?
The promise that I see in the children and families we work with, their hope their determination and grit.
Why should we celebrate women during Women’s History Month?
Because women often don't receive the credit we deserve, we should use women's history month to educate people about the importance of recognizing and acknowledging the role of women in society.