Bilkis Dadi

Ethiopian educator who built Africa's first girls' boarding school in a war zone, empowering over 10,000 students.

Founding the School

Bilkis Dadi (born 1972) transformed education in Ethiopia's Gambella region by establishing the Gambella Girls' Academy in 1999. Located near the Sudanese border during the Second Sudanese Civil War, the school provided safe education for girls fleeing conflict. Dadi developed a curriculum combining traditional subjects with agricultural training, ensuring students could sustain themselves economically. The school's model inspired similar institutions across East Africa.

Innovative Teaching Methods

Dadi pioneered mobile classrooms during seasonal floods, using boats to transport students. Her 'Girls' Leadership Program' trained young women to mediate community disputes, a strategy later adopted by UNICEF. In 2005, she created the first girls' robotics team in Ethiopia, winning regional competitions despite limited resources. Her 2010 documentary Educating Gambella's Daughters (produced with UNICEF) highlighted the school's impact.

Legacy and Expansion

Today, the academy educates over 1,500 girls annually with a 98% graduation rate. Dadi's 2016 book Building Schools in Conflict Zones (published by World Education) provides practical guides for educators worldwide. She recently launched the African Educators Network, connecting 50+ schools in conflict areas. Her work has been featured in National Geographic's 'Women of Impact' series and the UN Women archives.