Asnakech Bereda

An Ethiopian educator who revolutionized women’s literacy and healthcare in rural Ethiopia.

Asnakech Bereda (1920–2003) was an Ethiopian social reformer and educator who dedicated her life to improving the lives of rural women. Born in Addis Ababa, she witnessed the stark gender disparities in education and healthcare during Ethiopia’s early 20th-century modernization. In 1942, she founded the Women’s Progressive Association, which established schools and clinics in remote areas. Her most notable achievement was the Women’s Development and Health Center in Addis Ababa, which trained midwives and provided maternal care. Asnakech’s advocacy for girls’ education led to the creation of the Women’s University in Africa in 1958. She also served as Ethiopia’s first female ambassador to the UN in 1963. Despite her contributions, her work was overshadowed by political turmoil in Ethiopia. Her legacy is preserved through the Asnakech Bereda Foundation, which continues her mission to empower women through education. Her story is documented in the documentary A Voice for the Voiceless (2015), highlighting her role in Ethiopia’s social progress.