Bogaletch Gebre

Ms. Gebre grew up in a small village in Ethiopia. Boge was like any typical Ethiopian girl –she fetched water and helped her mother with cooking and chores. And, like any typical Ethiopian girl of that time, she suffered FGM where she nearly bled to death. But, unlike a typical Ethiopian girl, Boge attended school in secret, leaving her house to “fetch water”. She went on to pursue undergraduate and graduate studies abroad. In 1997, Boge returned to Ethiopia in order to help change the lives of women and girls in her community: KMG Ethiopia was born. Boge strongly believes that communities, women and men working harmoniously together, have the power to make great change for themselves. With multi-multipronged programs centered in southern Ethiopia, KMG now reaches millions of people each year – 70 percent women and girls – and has helped directly or indirectly an estimated 9 million people since it began its work.