Asna Mesfin

Pioneered girls' education in Ethiopia and founded the first modern girls' school in East Africa

Asna Mesfin (1923-2013) was a groundbreaking educator and women's rights advocate who transformed educational access in Ethiopia. Born in Addis Ababa to a family of teachers, she became the first Ethiopian woman to earn a degree in mathematics from Addis Ababa University (then called University College). Her most significant contribution came in 1952 when she founded Yekatit 12 Girls' School, the first institution in Ethiopia exclusively for girls' education beyond primary level.

Against societal norms, Mesfin insisted on teaching science and mathematics equally to girls, a radical approach at a time when girls were typically limited to home economics. Her school became a model for gender equality, later expanding to include teacher training programs that graduated over 200 female educators. She also pioneered the African Women's Leadership Network, connecting educators across the continent.

During Ethiopia's 1974 revolution, she established the Women's Association for Social and Economic Development to provide vocational training for displaced women. Her advocacy led to the inclusion of girls' education goals in Ethiopia's first national education plan (1961). Mesfin's legacy lives on through the Asna Mesfin Scholarship Fund, supporting girls from rural areas to attend secondary school.