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Name: Masho Yisak Hagos

What her name means in Tigrigna (local language): “Radiate”

Gender: Female

Age: 15

Birthday: (DMY: 12/08/1988 EC)

Hometown: Girahutsa

Former elementary school: Girahutsa Grade 1-8 Community School

High school she is attending: Wukro Secondary School

Academic record: Masho was one of the top six students form Grade 1 to Grade 8. In Grade 8, she was in her class. Her academic average was 89.5%.

Favorite subject(s): English and Biology

Extracurricular activities and leadership positions in Grade 8: Chairperson of Anti-HIV/AIDS Club, Secretary for Student Parliament, Secretary of Girls’ Club, Chair of Civics and Ethics Club, member of Children’s Rights Club.

Challenges encountered during elementary school: “I was born in the Oromia region and grew up speaking Amharic. When I moved here to Tigray I had to learn a new language, Tigrigna, so I struggled in my first year of school because it was hard for me to understand. My father is very old and sick so he cannot work. My brother and I work on top of our studies. My brother works as a daily labourer in construction and I was clothes for different people in town. It is difficult for us to make enough money to purchase notebooks and pens. A few years ago we shared the same pen because we couldn’t buy another one. I would wait outside school until he was finished his classes then he would give the pen to me and I would go inside and learn.”

In 10 years Masho wants to be a doctor because, “providing basic, quality health care to Ethiopians could fix so many of our problems.”

Masho is excited to go to high school because, “I know that all of our classes will be taught in English. I love English! I am excited to be able to speak, read and write it more often. I am also looking forward to meeting many new people and making new friends.”

Favorite quote: “Education until death."

Role model: “My brother because he was the first person in our family to start studying. He put me into school and even taught me the ABC’s. He works hard to study and support our family by working in construction. I admire him and am very thankful for him.”

Favorite celeb: Haile Gebreselassie

Hobbies and interests: leading groups of students, writing poems, jumping rope, long jump.

Family: “My family has just three people in it: me, my brother and my father. My father and mother lived in this area but then there was a drought and the Derg regime so they were displaced to the Oromia region. My brother and I were born there. We returned to this area 7 years ago. My father returned first then he sent for us. My mother did not want to come so she sent us but kept our younger brother with her in Oromia. We haven’t seen or heard from either of them since. Because we were displaced we lost our land. We live with relatives but have no land to farm so that’s why my brother works in construction and I wash clothes.”

Family’s skills for potential income generation activities: animal breeding, selling small items in a shop in town.

What her brother, Gebre Hiwot, thinks about her having the opportunity to go to high school: “My sister and I have always done our best to study and work at the same time. She has this opportunity to continue studying with your support and I know she will succeed. She was willing to do anything to go to high school and was already starting to look for jobs as a house servant so she could support herself while she studied but now she doesn’t have to worry about that.”

What her homeroom teacher, Friweni, is saying about her: “Masho is an excellent all-round student. Considering the challenges she has faced throughout her life she is doing extremely well in school. She is an active leader and participant in school life and is a role model for her peers. I know she will use her education to practically improve people’s lives – first for her family, then for her country.”