Women4Climate Mentorship 2023
Addis Ababa
The C40 Addis Ababa Women4Climate Mentorship Programme matches committed leaders from the business sector, international organisations, and community organisations with emerging women leaders.
The mentors will share their knowledge and experiences, supporting the mentees in becoming powerful leaders in their chosen fields, including politics, non-profits, business, media, community groups and more.
Mentees
Software Engineer
Project name: Promoting sustainable waste management practice
Bio: Bezawit is a software engineering student with a keen interest in climate change. Her project promotes sustainable waste management practices, focusing on composting at the individual level. It aims to raise awareness and encourage people to compost organic waste to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and enrich soil quality.
Her Mentor
Hadas Kidu Teare
Advisor
Position: Head advisor at the Addis Ababa Waste Management Bureau
Bio: Hadas Kidu is currently advising the Addis Ababa Waste Management Bureau. She is also a former advisor to the mayor of Addis Ababa and head of women and children affairs. Hadas has a background in business administration, with four years’ experience in mobile banking and four years’ experience in government office.
Architect
Project name: Sustainable materials to reduce the carbon footprint of buildings.
Bio: Dagmawit is an architect who is passionate about sustainability and climate action. Her project focuses on architectural design that prioritises environmentally friendly materials – like bamboo, recycled steel, and reclaimed wood – and practices that minimise negative impacts on the environment, reduce the carbon footprint of buildings, and promote long-term sustainability.
Her Mentor
Mahder Tadesse Berhanu
Managing Director
Position: Deputy managing director/principal architect, Dynamic Planners plc
Bio: Mahder Tadesse Berhanu is a licensed and practising architect with over 14 years of experience. She is currently the principal architect/deputy managing director of Dynamic Planners plc. Mahder has previously served as secretary of the Association of Ethiopian Architects and now works for the association as a professional competition advisor.
Student
Project name: Greening urban spaces: Empowering communities through tree planting and environmental education
Bio: Eden is a student at Addis Ababa University, where she leads a club dedicated to tree planting. She is working on an initiative to plant trees in urban areas to create a more sustainable and climate-resilient environment. It aims to increase green spaces and promote community engagement in environmental conservation.
Her Mentor
Hermela Gegziabher
Programme Manager
Position: Programme manager
Bio: Hermela G/egziabher works as a programme manager at the Ethiopian Youth Entrepreneurship Association. She has a background in electrical engineering and an MA in project management. Hermela is also a certified trainer and has delivered entrepreneurship training as both a business coach and mentor.
Environmental Engineer
Project name: Akababinet
Bio: Hana is an environmental engineer and the founder of Akababinet. She graduated from Addis Ababa Science and Technology University in 2022. Her project focuses on climate education and digital activism. She works with Eco-justice Ethiopia and local youth to create a climate-conscious community through training and storytelling.
Her Mentor
Meti Tamrat
Programme Associate
Position: Director of public and international relations in the city administration of Addis Ababa
Bio: Meti worked as a programme associate in the UN World Food Programme and has a proven track record in developing and executing successful implementation strategies. She has served as a teacher, an environment-protection expert, the coordinator of a school feeding programme, and other projects including ONE WASH programme and UNICEF.
Architect
Project name: Designing flood control through landscape and architecture
Bio: Helen has been practising and teaching architecture and landscape architecture for six years. She is currently designing flood controls through landscaping and architecture on a project site in Addis Ababa. The flood-prone settlement is highly affected by overflow from the nearby river and needs an urgent solution.
Her Mentor
Fitsum A. Gelaye
Consultant
Position: Consultant: programs and engagement, regional coordinator, Africa | Resilient Cities Network
Bio: Fitsum is an urban planner and architect and has worked in different capacities – from research to programme implementation – in the urban resilience field. Currently, Fitsum supports the development and implementation of programmes geared towards the Resilient Cities Network’s African cities in the areas of food, water, energy resilience, and circularity.
Chemist
Project name: Green Ethiopia
Bio: Iman is a chemistry graduate working towards sustainable agriculture and healthy food through organic fertiliser and climate-resilient farming. She is a co-founder of Green Ethiopia, which envisions an agriculture revolution in Ethiopia through the production of organic fertiliser from decomposable organic waste that would otherwise end up in landfills.
Her Mentor
Fouzia Mushin Abdurahman
Founder and CEO
Position: Founder and CEO of VALYOU Training and Consultancy Services
Bio: Fouzia has 25 years’ experience in various roles with a background in food/chemical engineering. She is an internationally certified coach delivering coaching and leadership training through her company, with the core purpose to ‘awaken humans and unleash their power’. Fouzia currently aims to connect and serve even more humans.
Researcher
Project name: Developing low-carbon cement through the utilisation of industrial waste material
Bio: Miheret is a researcher dedicated to work on sustainable solutions. She studied civil engineering and has more than a decade of professional experience in both academia and industry. Her project focuses on developing low-carbon cement using industrial waste materials to reduce carbon emissions and promote sustainability.
Her Mentor
Simret Bayou Bogale
General Manager
Position: General manager at Simret Bayou Consulting
Bio: Simret Bayou is an architect, general engineer, and structural engineer, currently working as general manager at her own architectural and engineering consultancy.. Simret has a BSc in civil engineering, a BSc in architecture and urban planning, and an MSc in structural engineering.
Mechanical Engineer
Project name: Zero-waste engineering solution
Bio: Nebiyat is a mechanical engineer specialising in the design and manufacturing of various machines, particularly focusing on plastic recycling technology. She is working on designing a plastic recycling machine with dual functionality to perform the tasks of cutting plastic into smaller pieces and melting it to produce valuable products.
Her Mentor
Amakelech Lulu
Pharmacist
Position: Founder and director of Gishen Pharmacy
Bio: Amakelech has a BSc in pharmacy and served numerous healthcare facilities before starting her own pharmacy retail business. Through her exemplary entrepreneurship and commitment to serving in healthcare, she established Gishen Pharmacy as a well-perceived brand within the industry. Amakelech is also a certified coach and has run many mentoring programmes.
Civil Engineer
Project name: Reblu
Bio: Siham is a civil engineer and interior designer by profession. Her project, Reblu, is engaged in recycling plastic waste into high-value home and fashion products. These unique products feature traditional art expression using energy-efficient, low-emission technology and cutting-edge processes to minimise environmental impact
Her Mentor
Elsa Adane
Designer
Position: Manager and designer at Chic Shega Artisan Village
Bio: Elsa is a passionate designer who specialises in concept development and marketing of handmade products, crafted with consideration for nature and biodegradability. She is the founder and manager of Chic Shega, an artisan village in Addis Ababa that is dedicated to connecting nature and humans through handmade products.
Policy Researcher
Project name: Climate Initiative Ethiopia (CIE)
Bio: Yodit is a policy researcher and climate consultant with a passion for climate literacy, advocacy, and social justice. Her work with Climate Initiative Ethiopia (CIE) aims to raise climate change awareness and engagement and to drive climate action and innovation led by youth and women in Ethiopia.
Her Mentor
Nicola Demme-Tsegaye
Senior Manager
Position: Senior manager for organisational development
Bio: Nicola is a senior manager for a German development cooperation and has run projects worldwide in the fields of urban development, education, and private-sector development. Since 2013, she has been living and working in Ethiopia where she coaches business owners and managers to unleash their personal and professional potential.
Past programmes
The 2023 programme follows an earlier round of the Addis Ababa City Women4Climate Mentorship Programme, which took place in 2019.
Addis Ababa is proud to be the first African city to launch a Women4Climate Mentorship programme.
