The last few decades has seen a huge upsurge in women’s role and more and more women are coming to the front in various areas such as leadership, business, science and technology including leaders and innovators.
Breaking the traditional gender roles that women had been defined for long and penetrating into areas that were once considered as men’s jobs, several women have achieved incredible success.
Among these women, Aster Hordofa (PhD), Lecturer at Arba Minch University, Water Technology Institute, a young researcher who has a strong passion for studying the impact of climate change on water resources and agriculture, is the one.
Aster, as a Hydrologist and Water Resources Engineer, has recently received her Ph.D. in the fields of Water Management from the Africa Center of Excellence (ACEWM), AAU.
According to the quarterly Newsletter of ACEWM, (July, 2023), Aster’s childhood was in a rural area of the country in Tiqo Sayo Village, Wuchale Jida District of North Shewa Zone, Oromia State. As any rural child, she observed the challenges farmers faced due to climate-related issues such as recurrent droughts, floods, pests and pestilences which negatively affect crop yields, risk food security, and jeopardize the livelihoods of millions of people.
These undesirable childhood experiences did not allow her to simply accept it as it is; but inspired Aster to pursue a career focused on addressing environmental issues that particularly affect food security and livelihoods in developing countries, where climate change poses a significant threat.
Thus, she did her doctoral research centering on analyzing climate change trends and variability’s effects on winter wheat production and water balance components in the Ziway Lake Basin, Ethiopia. Recently, EPA had a short stay with the researcher to learn about her childhood experience, her achievements, and future aspirations.
Like any other rural child, Aster grew up serving her family by working as much as she could until she reached the age to go to school.
“I had to walk 30 kilometers to attend my primary school. However, no matter what challenges I encountered, thanks to my brother who was supporting me to advance my education, I was always ranking first in my schooling.”
As she stated, her older brother takes the lion’s share in her life. He was advising her not to be stuck by marriage; but to pursue her education and reach her destination. Thus, she was committed to advance her education at any rate.
“As I mentioned earlier, my grades in school never went down; and my performance increased beyond my strength and I completed my high school at Muka Turi Ragasa Wayessa preparatory School. The whole vision I had was not to break the trust my brother had in me- to study hard, to reach the highest level, and break the stereotypes attached to girls. So I did it. Scoring the highest grade, I joined Arba Minch University, Faculty of Water and Irrigation Engineering. Since I joined the university, I have been studying dedicatedly and working to excel”
However, life in the university was not as such simple for Aster. Despite her strong preparation for her studies, she had to face many challenges. Particularly, the weather was not something she can bear it; as a result, she started feeling sick. While she was preparing to take the final exams of the second semester of her first year, her condition got worse and admitted to the hospital. Because she became seriously ill, she was referred to Addis Ababa, and compelled to drop out of her education.
Fortunately, as she was well-known at the university for her commitment, she was told to return the following year. She retook all the exams and continued her education. And enduring her pain and the challenging university life, she graduated with good grades. Because she was one of the students who scored well at the university, she got the opportunity to be employed there as a teacher.
After two years, she continued her education and received her Master’s Degree in Irrigation and Drainage Engineering from this same university – Arba Minch- and continued her teaching career. Not satisfied by what she has already gained; she started striving for more and continued her postgraduate studies in Water Engineering after teaching for additional two years and three months.
“I have made a lot of efforts to get the opportunity and study for my PhD degree. I have been working with various organizations,” she remarked.
According to Aster, when they started the doctoral program, there were fourteen students. However, in the course of time, some of them interrupted it and only eight students have graduated. “I am the only female among the eight graduates,” she said.
As to Aster, this was the time that she realized and that women can dream bigger and outperform better if they consistently strive towards their ambitious goals. It is where she was convinced in “you can do it” maxim.
“Because when we look at the field of women’s world, we are seeing that women can make a difference everywhere and make a name for their own and their country. No need to go far away. Our women are participating in all social, political, economic and business activities and they are making a great difference. The successes they have registered should be acknowledged and strengthened because they disproved the old stereotypes and affirmed the achievements of women.”
Mentioning that too many of girls ended up on early/forced marriage and left in the corner, the researcher said that if they are given a chance to go to school, complete their education and fulfill their potentials, they would create a better future not only for themselves and their families but also for the community and the country.
In this regard, a lot of work should be done to increase the participation and benefits of women in all aspects- in the political, social and economic arenas. Their political, social and economic participation should be increased. Works should be done to double their contribution to the economy, she underlined.
Concerning the feeling her family has towards the level of success she has reached now, Aster said: “My family are happy for my achievements and becoming a role model for other girls. I am happy too for that. I can say that my mother has been a great strength to me. She raised us by paying the necessary sacrifice from taking care of all the children to performing the backbreaking household chores.”
According to the ACEWM’s journal, Aster (PhD) while doing her research, employed various statistical, programming, crop modeling, and hydrological modeling techniques to investigate how different climate scenarios impact crop yield, evapotranspiration, soil moisture, and surface water components.
Additionally, she explored potential adaptation strategies for farmers to cope with changing climate conditions, such as adjusting planting dates, using improved crop varieties, implementing irrigation practices, and adopting conservation agriculture methods.
The findings from her research hold significant implications for policymaking and planning to achieve sustainable water management and agricultural development in the region.
The researcher has also published four peer-reviewed articles and contributed two collaborative papers in reputable journals. Furthermore, she presented her work at international conferences.
Aster firmly believes that women have much to offer the scientific community and can overcome any challenges or barriers they encounter along the way. She also emphasizes the importance of diversity and inclusion in fostering innovation and collaboration in research. Thus, she encourages more female researchers to share their stories and experiences while supporting each other in their endeavors.
As someone who rose from a rural background, she aspires to empower girls and women who dream of pursuing science or any other field they are passionate about. She firmly believes that they have the potential to achieve anything they set their minds to and have the right to pursue their passions wholeheartedly.
BY ELIZABETH MENGISTU
The Ethiopian Herald August 24/2023
