AN amazing life

Every cloud has a silver lining. This saying applies to the life of Yezina Mekonnen an amazing woman in the Amhara Region who overcame difficult odds to eventually become a model citizen and an inspiration to others. Capital’s Addis Mulugeta traveled to Lalibela and met this hardworking woman.

Capital: What kind of childhood did you have?
Yezina Mekonnen I was born in Kobo - Lalibela, Amhara region in 1959.
When I was nine years old, in 1968, my parents separated and my father married another wife. But my stepmother was very offensive. I ran away to Waga, a town near Lalibela where I have an uncle. When I was twelve, I wanted to travel to Dessie. However, I didn’t have enough money for transportation and got a ride on a bus, where the driver raped me and threw me off the bus in the middle of the night. While I stood crying at Dessie bus-station, I’d say I was fortunate enough, to meet a woman who asked me why I was crying. I told her everything and she gave me six birr for transportation to Assab. I found a lorry and reached Assab safe where I lived for three years.
Capital: What did you do in Assab?
Yezina: I changed my name from Yezinash to Sofi to prevent my father from finding me. In 1979, I started to attend mission school till I got to be a fourth grade. In 1982, I went to Djibouti to gether with my three friends. At that point in time, many people were being killed in Assab due to the period’s politics (Red Terror). We all used to lead such a difficult life.
Capital: The journey to Djibouti must have been difficult?
Yezina: Indeed. We didn’t have a car or any other means of transportation. We could do it only on foot. In a border town, I got sick of the long journey. Three of my friends left me there and continued their trip. I met a Frenchman there; a pharmacist who took care of me for quite some time. When I got better, he asked me the reason why I was traveling to Djibouti. I told him I was looking for a job. He needed a maid and asked me to take the job if I was interested. I served in his home for two years. Then, we got to know each other well and he told me that he loved me. We got married and went to France. I met his family there and I joined school once again to learn the French language.
Capital: How about your family? Did you see them later?
Yezina: I came back to Lalibela in 1992 to visit my father. I told my husband that I needed to visit my parents. I met my father and stayed with him for three consecutive months. Unfortunately, my husband’s brother died in a car accident in 1995. My husband was in deep grief as were his parents. I paid a visit to France for about three months to console his family. later, I returned to Djibouti, where we were living, and realized that my husband had another Ethiopian wife; we got divorced.
Capital: Was life difficult for you after your divorce?
Yezina: Well, I immediately came back to Ethiopia with a total wealth worth 120,000 Birr. I spent almost all of the money but 3000 Birr in Addis Ababa. And I spent 2000 Birr for transportation of my possessions from Addis Ababa to Lalibela. I set up my restaurant with a startup capital of 700 Birr. The remaining 300 Birr was deposited. I rented a small house. I always baked Injera at night and Wot in the morning. However, I could not manage to do it all by myself; so I brought two of my sisters from Gondar and Assosa. But they could not stay with me, since I worked day and night while they didn’t. Another problem I faced was from the neighbors’ side. They harassed me, saying ‘You came from abroad but you opened such a small restaurant, why did you then leave your country?’ But none of this bothered me. Instead, it gave me strength. I prepared different types of food, especially Pizza, Omelet, Quiche and others. Customers appreciated my effort. After four years, in 1999, my ex-husband came to Lalibela. He seemed to have missed me and so did I. We reconciled, and he took me back to France where we stayed for some time.
Capital: How is your hotel progressing?
Yezina: Up until 1999, I had no land for constructing my dream hotel. One day, Deputy Prime Minister Addisu Legesse paid a visit to Lalibela. He chose my restaurant’s service and asked me if I owned it. I told him that the business was mine but the house was a rented one. Immediately, he told the mayor, “You should support such type of women.” That’s how I got a plot to construct my hotel.
Capital: What challenges are you facing today?
Yezina: There are night clubs next to my hotel. The noise is very troubling for my guests. I have informed the concerned body and am still waiting for measures to be taken.
Capital: What plans do you envision for the future?
Yezina: Currently, I have three main activities. I have 3 million Birr with which I want to construct a modern hotel here in Lalibela. I am 50 years old but I have enrolled myself back to school and am an eighth grader. I hope to complete high school. I don’t have any children but I will continue to raise orphans.