Enat Bank in Gofa Gebriel area opened its 134th branch named after Dr. Tewabech Bishaw, a role model for many women. Enat Bank, which was founded by eleven women with vision, is celebrating its 11th year anniversary this year
Dr. Tewabech is an example that has won many awards in the country and internationally for contribution in the health sector. Dr Tewabech Bishaw is an international leader in maternal, child and public health and was recently nominated for the Ethiopian Women of Excellence prize in recognition of her many achievements.
“My passion for public health started at a young age when I visited a local health centre in Ethiopia and saw people coming not only for curative care but also to prevent ill health: women were there to receive advice on safe childbirth and care practices. I realized the good that public health centres could do for communities.” I was born and brought up in a loving and caring family in southwest Ethiopia. Our parents always told us that education, hard work…and doing your best are important. Unusually for the time, my parents were supportive of equal opportunities for boys and girls. We were told education was the key to liberate us from constraints and poverty. Education, confidence and courage would take us where we wanted to go.”
Tewabech’s drive to serve communities and determination to achieve equity led her to study public health, overcoming many gender barriers along the way. Tewabech worked her way up from leading local and regional health centre teams to developing and directing national maternal and child health programmes with UNICEF in Ethiopia, India, Namibia and Botswana.
In addition, she is the mother of the famous musicians Munit Mesfin and Jorga Mesfin.
