From the lively classrooms of Addis Ababa University to the intellectually charged halls of AIMS Ghana, Etaferahu’s journey is one shaped by curiosity, discipline and an unwavering belief in the power of mathematics.
Growing up in Ethiopia, Etaferahu learned early what it meant to take responsibility for her own learning. Unlike many children, she never had someone hovering over her shoulder to ensure she completed her assignments or understood her lessons. Instead, she carved out her own path. “I had to figure things out on my own,” she recalls. “That taught me how to be disciplined and responsible.” It was during these early school days that her relationship with mathematics began to take root.
A close family friend whose father believed deeply in the transformative power of numbers noticed her potential and encouraged her to pursue the subject wholeheartedly. “He believed mathematics was more than just calculation,” she says. “He thought I could really solve problems.” Those words stayed with her, igniting a passion that eventually shaped her academic future.
Before joining AIMS Ghana, Etaferahu shared her love for the subject as a mathematics instructor at Addis Ababa University. Yet she felt the pull to deepen her knowledge and expand her perspective. That opportunity arrived when she began her journey at AIMS Ghana; a place she now describes as transformative, rigorous, and profoundly inspiring.
“The experience here is challenging but incredibly rewarding,” she says with a smile. “From the courses to the trainings, everything has shaped my thinking.” She particularly appreciates how AIMS pushes students beyond technical mastery, encouraging them to communicate ideas clearly and think in creative, interdisciplinary ways.
“One of the biggest lessons for me,” she adds, “was learning how to explain mathematical concepts to someone who has never seen them without writing anything down.”
While she admits that Ghana’s warm weather has taken some getting used to, the collaborative learning environment and diversity of perspectives have made the transition enriching. Every conversation, group project, and late-night problem-solving session has strengthened not only her knowledge but her confidence.
Looking ahead, Etaferahu is determined to pursue a PhD, with a vision that stretches far beyond academic achievement. She hopes to inspire young people especially in Ethiopia to see mathematics as a beautiful, creative discipline that transforms the mind. “I want to show the youth that mathematics isn’t just numbers,” she says. “It’s a way of thinking, of understanding the world.”
Etaferahu’s journey is only beginning, but her passion, discipline, and purpose already make her a shining example of the transformative promise of mathematical science in Africa.
English