Born in a small town of Deder, Destu is the eldest among six. Though she was raised in the city of Diredawa, her heart always remained with her wise grandmother, whom she visited every school break. Destu refers to her grandmother as “Natural Social Worker,” never had a formal education but advocated for equal treatment of all and supported women with a genuine beliefe in their power. Destu’s mother believed education was the path forward and ensured her children got the best education. Destu attended Abune Endrias and later Notre Dame, both missionary schools that gave her solid academic foundation and good command of English. At the time, Destu pursued education to fulfill her mother’s wishes, unaware of the profound role it would play in shaping her future.

After graduating with a degree in Economics from Addis Ababa University, Destu found herself facing questions no textbook could answer “What is life? What do I truly care about?” Though uncertain about her path, certain thoughts persisted: the strength of women, their untapped potential, and the power of education in transforming lives. 

A year after graduation, Destu got married and soon embraced motherhood. She then turned her hobby of making pillows into a home-based business. For three years, she juggled entrepreneurship and caring for her two children. To Destu’s surprise, married life had complexities, it was full of emotional challenges and unmet expectations. Eventually, overwhelmed by responsibilities, she discontinued her pillow-making  business and joined the travel industry which she continued to explore for a couple of years. Still, something felt missing, she hadn’t yet found her true purpose.

Destu decided to return to school. She found that the courses of a master’s program in social work would guide her to where she wanted to go. She applied, and out of 300 candidates, she was one of the 30 accepted. But the path wasn’t easy. The commute to campus was long, and balancing studies with raising children seemed nearly impossible. Yet, she pushed through and graduated just three days before giving birth to her third child. That moment, of both birth and academic achievement brought a new sense of confidence that she could do whatever she put her mind to. Her focus now was on her growth and purpose. “Focus on YOU,” she reminded herself.

Soon after that, Destu reconnected to her early passion for supporting women and children through education. Back in university, she had joined a group of fifteen women committed to create meaningful impact in their community. They had begun by informally supporting orphans’ education. Aligned to Destu’s timing, donors took notice and encouraged the group to formalize their initiative. The women asked Destu to take the lead, recognizing her commitment and passion. In 2010, Hidaya Development Association was officially founded. The word Hidaya stands for “Guidance for the doers of goodness.” and it was indeed guidance for Destu. Through out the years since its establishment, she served Hidaya mostly volunteering for different roles – board member, project officer, director, and currently as the Executive Director, focused on Hidaya’s long-term sustainability.

Initially Hidaya conducted a research that revealed many children were out of school or not focused on their education due to several challenges revolving around lack of of resources. Hidaya launched its first project by supporting thirty families through providing essentials such as books, clothing, meals, and tutoring. The results were immediate: the children grew healthier, more confident, and more hopeful. Over time, Hidaya sharpened its focus on three areas—education, health, and psychosocial support. It also works on projects that support people with disabilities and internally displaced individuals as special cases. 

For Destu, one of Hidaya’s greatest accomplishments  is the Bishoftu Project that supports orphaned families displaced by war. These families were faced with three major challenges after being relocated: integration with the locals and understanding the culture, finding a source of income, and enrolling their children in school. Hidaya enrolled twenty-six mothers in the project, provided counseling, pocket money, and entrepreneurship training. Today, sixteen of them are financially independent, running their businesses and working together as a supportive community. Their children also continued their education, ensuring a brighter future for the families.

“At Hidaya, we always strive for more,” Destu says proudly. What once took seven years to make a family self-reliant now takes two or three. “Support matters only if it helps people stand on their own.” When several children from a family graduate and start earning, Hidaya shifts its focus to new families in need. Looking ahead, Destu hopes to establish a skill development center for sustainable, accessible vocational training.

Another accomplishment for Destu is a project she initiated, inspired by her journey. It was a leadership development program that ran from 2011 – 2013 and offered two-week life skills training for female university students and recent graduates. Years later, many participants still credit the program for how it helped them understand their passion and career paths they wanted to pursue. For Destu, this project was like planting seeds that have grown into a network of strong women leaders actively contributing to their communities today.

Under Destu’s leadership, Hidaya expanded into towns such as Legetafo, Bishoftu, Dangla, and Bure. For youth aged fifteen to twenty-two, Hidaya offers personal development training to help them discover their passions and career paths. In partnership with the Addis Ababa Gender Office, Hidaya also runs a women’s education initiative to reduce school dropout rates among girls. In this regard, Destu’s deepest concern lies in Diredawa, especially her hometown Deder, where many girls drop out and fall into prostitution, addiction, STDs, and hopelessness. This crisis drives her current goal: to open a women’s rehabilitation center in Diredawa within a year.

Aside from Hidaya, Destu runs a consulting firm offering training and Business Development Services (BDS). She is also a certified National Master Trainer for EMPRETEC entrepreneurship training. Destu sits on the board of the Ethiopian Islamic Affairs Supreme Council.- Women’s wing.

Destu acknowledges that finding focus and balancing leadership roles in two organizations with family responsibilities has been her biggest challenge. Juggling work commitments and raising four children has made prioritizing a constant learning experience for her. 

Letting go of multitasking, she says, was her key to embracing leadership. “With focus comes quality,” she believes. Her leadership is grounded in continuous learning “That’s why I love training, I learn while I teach” she adds. 

Destu’s advice to the youth is clear: consistency and discipline are the cornerstones of success. She asserts “True impact begins with self-care and personal responsibility.”

Destu is grateful for the unwavering support of her mother, sisters, and brothers. She also cherishes the opportunity to be part of the Haset Leadership Program—an initiative by the Packard Foundation, developed by Emerge Plc, and implemented by AWiB. The program, focused on closing the gender gap in CSO leadership, deepened her belief in the power of community. “AWiB knows how to make a difference,” Destu added and envisioned thousands of AWiBs across Ethiopia in the near future. 

AWiB thanks Destu for carving out her valuable time for the interview.

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