Growing up with five siblings and limited resources, I understood that education was the key to a better future. Although this was the reality for many of my generation (and may still be the case), not everyone decided to prioritize education at a young age. I made a decision to invest in education and joined Jimma University to study for a Bachelor of Arts in Economics. During my BA studies, I co-founded the Economics Student Association and was selected as vice president. In this role, I organized workshops on macroeconomic topics such as fiscal and monetary policy in the Ethiopian context. Additionally, I collaborated with the association president on membership requirements, fees, and retreat activities.

In January 2016, I was selected from among 84,000 East and Central African candidates to join the Young African Leadership Initiative (YALI), an initiative started by former US President Barack Obama to support young Africans with leadership training. Through the three-month training, I gained extensive experience and knowledge in design thinking, project management, conflict resolution, good governance, time management, and policy drafting and analysis.

In late 2016, I won a Civil Society Leadership Award scholarship from DAAD and the Open Society Foundation to study for a Master of Science in Economics at the University of Trier, Germany. After completing the master's program, I continued with a PhD under the supervision of Uwe Jirjahn. From October 2019 to September 2023, I worked as a Research Associate at the Institute of Labour Law and Industrial Relations in the European Union (IAAEU). During this time, I had the opportunity to meet brilliant junior and experienced researchers in the field, expand my networking, and receive valuable feedback on my research. I also traveled to many beautiful countries and presented my research work at numerous international conferences. Traveling is more than just a passion for me, it's part of who I am. Especially being near the water, going on safari in Africa, or listening to the birds in the morning are some of the things I enjoy during my holidays.