The young adult novel entitled “While Waiting for September”, is the second book by Ethiopian author Hiwot Walelign Workneh. Born in Addis Ababa, Hiwot Walelign is passionate about literature. Her debut work, Somebody’s Daughter, is the national prizewinner of Burt Awards for Ethiopian Young Adult Literature.
With Ethiopian settings, characters and themes, it is written for teenagers. After years of sharing classrooms from elementary school through high school without truly knowing each other, two classmates finally connect following their high school exit examination. Brought together by a shared friend’s birthday, they begin their friendship that deepens over the summer as they wait for their exam results, coming out in September. Through honest conversations and shared experiences, they open up about their interests, fears, hopes, family lives, and hidden traumas. As they slowly step out of their shells, they begin to understand that their past struggles do not have to define their future. Their growing confidence and closeness inspire them to push beyond familiar limits, embracing freedom, adventure, and new possibilities. But this newfound boldness tests their bond, bringing them dangerously close to losing each other. By September, a season of new beginnings, they emerge transformed, carrying with them the resilience, courage, and hope to face whatever comes next—together.
“Somebody’s Daughter” is a story of a little girl, growing up in poverty, destined to be a housemaid. With no academic qualifications and with no relatives to turn to, the young housemaid, Kassina, has no option but to live with her abusive employer – until fate turns the table upside down.
Hiwot aspires to be an accomplished novelist in the future. She currently lives in Addis Ababa with her husband and two sons and is a phD candidate in English Literature at Addis Ababa university.
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