"I used to constantly find myself at the office late at night and challenged by transport hurdles while heading to my home. I used to feel unsafe while taking a taxi…the driver also asks you to pay more than two times the price they charge in a day."

"Thank you Dr. Artist Tewodros Kassahun for supporting our effort to build the creative economy for the generation to come."

"I believes we can grow as a continent regardless of our several challenges and barriers, to disrupt the tech scene on a global scale."

"I’m blind. I don’t have partial vision but I can see colours as long as the colours are bright. I have a vision but I don’t see (laughs)!"

"It was not easy for the gender movement to easily convince that gender should not be a point of discrimination. It is imbibed in the viewpoint of society. You don’t find these things on the cover of a book; they are very deeply rooted. Such things exist in the being of a society. It requires a very systematic and collaborative effort to address them. In my opinion, empowering a society that has zero tolerance for any form discrimination is the solution. I know it is a long term investment and people would want an answer for facing discrimination that entails their group being given priority in this fight. However, that would result in other groups being left behind. I would encourage partnership, human oriented thinking of development where it is not only about numbers rather it is about the ability to ensure that no one is left behind. I would encourage joint movement of human beings and recognition of human diversity as values in a given society. I think that can take us forward."

"I think that is where I would call for inclusive schools. If we in principle agree that an education is not just a privilege for few but is a right for everyone, I think every educational facility be it physical or academic should be prepared to serve everyone regardless of gender or disability. All of the barriers that I had faced in an integrated school were artificial barriers. None of them were natural barriers. I believe that society has the power to remove all those barriers. I think it is about the various beliefs – if education is considered a right for everyone, every facility while being designed and used will be designed to cater to everyone’s use. It is about a mindset I would say. If you budget printing books in ink, you should also budget printing books in braille as it can easily be done!"

"Mazi Melesa Pilip is the total package. She understands the plight of all given her profound background. She will make her mark in America. She has a bright future. America needs her more than ever."

"I think when it comes to abortion, every woman should have that choice to make that decision. I chose to be a mother of seven children. That was my choice. I’m not going to force my own beliefs on any woman. Therefore, I’m not going to support a national abortion ban. … I’m not going to risk women’s rights"

"She is strong in delegation and supporting others realize their dreams."

"She leads her life with a purpose and her purpose is to see this country prosper. Her purpose is to work to the best of her ability to support the nation’s economic agenda succeed."

"We want to become the backbone of the economy."

"Sinknesh is a great role model to many young women of our nation and AWiB thanks her for sharing her story."

"Sinknesh is not a woman of excuses; under her leadership and a great team effort, the mining industry is growing significantly with major involvement of the private sector."

"I hope I can run my personal best and get a good result there"

"I am getting that desire in me to win everything."

"I didn’t expect these conditions but I can run in hot conditions"

"I want to win no matter what happens."

"Many kids have started running in Debremarkos after watching me."

"Yes all I can do is try my best. I don't have any information about Toronto"

"I am so motivated (by my family)"

""My womanliness and your manliness is going to be tested on the battle field. Do not absent yourself!”""

""I am a woman and I do not love war, but rather than accepting this (colonialism) I prefer war.”""

"In the churchyard she was set down while her male relations dug into the ground. A smell rose, of loam and of rain. Yetemegnu was brought to the front. Now she could see the priest who clambered into the shallow grave; see his censer swinging, one corner, another, another, overlaying earth with pious perfume. Hear the final prayers. Watch the bending backs lower their freight into the ground, head to the east, feet to the west, feel, like a blow to her own body, the first handful of soil land upon her mother."

"In the middle of war, Edemariam remembers soldiers so spooked that they fire rounds of machine-gun bullets into the heart of a tornado. Her grandmother shoves her and her cousin into the wardrobe. They sat crouched "among soft white dresses that smelled of incense and woodsmoke and limes"; her grandmother stood outside, sheltering them from all that passed. It is one startling, unforgettable story among an abundance of riches."

"What has stayed constant is a certain chippiness. Canadians feel both superior to and dependent on America, thus resenting it; they often get mistaken for Americans, and are afraid of being culturally subsumed. They feel the rest of the world ignores them, which is a pretty accurate perception. And they're always trying to define who they are (not American, not British, not boring) and not quite succeeding, being presented with the daunting challenge of a country that covers five-and-a-half time zones, speaks two languages and contains a province that periodically wishes to secede (and if it did so would set the four Atlantic provinces adrift)."

"The most relaxed-looking runner I have ever seen."

"My wife gave birth to a baby girl soon after the Olympics and I named her 'Fatuma' after you."

"For women, she seems like a very special person, she's very determined, If she wins four, we don't need anything else."

"She ran with the same smooth stride and placid, dispassionate look on her face that she carried through the Olympic race."

"She is the only woman from Africa who has won the Olympics and Boston Marathon three times. She is an inspiration for us."

"This is not only a special thing for me but also for my country and all African women."

"I think she is an example for a lot of women who are discouraged by the culture because it does not reward you."

"Before the race I was afraid of the others with better times, but soon I realized that they were not running fast today, I picked up the speed and they would not follow. At that point I was already sure that I would win because I practiced very hard."

"Never again, never again will I do this distance, it is too long."

"The reaction I felt from people had a big impact on me, I suddenly felt such a great sense of responsibility. I felt that I had to try to keep running, as long as I possibly could."

"If she can win four times, it gives us much more potential to think we can do it, maybe six times."

"I'm very happy to win a second time, I found it to be a very easy race."

"I've been told there is a big hill, but I didn't see it."

"Sometimes, if there are a lot of people around me when I go to a store, I feel a bit intimidated. I used to be shy. I still consider myself shy, but I'm a little better now and I'm getting used to it."

"I am hoping to make history, I feel like I have made good preparation."

"Well, for me the greatest of all marathons is of course the olympic marathon, but second place is Boston."

"I do not really want to be famous,But it's nice to be among the renowned athletes."

"They all went out of their way, getting us awards and everything."

"They thought I should be doing women things."

"I knew I would be the Olympic Champion. I was running and the others were looking backwards, so I understood that they were tired, when for me the pace was easy. It was nice, because I could run strong and enjoy."

"Even if I never ran again, I would have been content."

"I really did not get any encouragement from anyone, but I pushed on because I liked to run. I made my first national team in 1988."

"I knew of 1960 Olympic marathon winner Abebe Bikila and 1968 winner Mamo Wolde from the radio, so I thought I’d try it, too."

"The real race begins when the pain starts."