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Fleeing an arranged marriage, Tigist left the Amhara region five years ago when she was just 14. Her parents never knew she was leaving. She had heard about opportunities in Ethiopia’s capital city of Addis Ababa and traveled there by bus. Knowing no one in the city when she was dropped off at the bus station, she was soon found by brokers who connected her to an employer in need of a house girl.

For the last five years, Tigist has been living in the Merkato slum area working as a domestic servant and selling fried potatoes, earning a few cents every day. She does not fear dying, but fears getting sick because she has no one to take care of her.

But one year ago her life changed. A mentor convinced her employers to let her attend the Biruh Tesfa school, a program supported by Girl Up that provides out-of-school girls a safe place to become educated, learn life skills, and receive health education and services. Now with just six months left in the program, Tigist’s eyes light up talking about how much she has learned. She dreams of becoming an engineer.

Read more about Tigist's journey at UNFoundation.org.