Save to List: Maya Misikir’s spaces for women in Addis Abeba
A world’s worth of recommended spots from our global community
words – maya misikir
location – addis abeba, ethiopia
There are things most people will experience when visiting Addis Abeba. The coffee ceremonies, injera, our staple dish and perhaps, even, Ethiopian hospitality. But for people who come to Addis seeking a specific experience, the reality varies widely depending on whether you’re a man or a woman. While Addis may seem mostly welcoming on the surface, there are a lot of unsaid rules Ethiopian women follow to protect themselves in and amongst the public.
Whether that is dressing more conservatively [though no amount of layering may prevent catcalling], being selective of where they go to meet with friends, or how they choose to express themselves – such decisions are part of the background mental gymnastics at play long before setting a foot outside of their homes.
Seeking and supporting people who respond to this reality by creating the spaces where women can freely speak, move and be themselves is the first fundamental step in empowering Ethiopian women. For those looking to explore spaces built by creative and business-savvy Ethiopian women, whether that’s an art space or a gym, these places are worth a visit.
01_Studio 11
Located in Bole, Addis Abeba’s bustling downtown, Studio 11 is a gallery founded by two women: photographer Nafkot Gebeyehu and painter Zion Yaynu. It hosts exhibitions by emerging artists alongside workshops and community events. One exhibition drew attention to the insidious nature of street harassment: a group of women muralists drew the streets of Addis on the walls of the studio, under the theme of ‘Reclaiming the Streets.’ Their motto at Studio 11 is: ‘Create, Curate, Collaborate,’ and the space offers this to a growing community of artists and art lovers.
02_Yimtubezina Museum & Cultural Center
Originally built in 1990 by business mogul Yimtubezinash Habte, at a time when few women owned property, this house turned museum now sits inside Addis’s recently built Friendship Park 2. The private museum has survived multiple threats of demolition in the past and stands today as one of the few registered heritage sites in Addis named after a woman. The creative team behind the museum’s curations has yet to disappoint; hairstyles across the country’s diverse ethnicities, a collection of historical buttons and stamps, and Ethiopia’s jewelry traditions have all been part of the exhibits.
03_Hanubet
Thursdays are the best time to visit Hanubet, located in the residential neighborhood of Sarbet. Designer and co-owner Haymanot Honelgn showcases her custom-made clothes and jewellery here. While the shop is open daily, Thursdays at her shop come with coffee, incense and a community of people she has created around her creative space. Pop-up shows, sip-and-paint sessions and jewellery workshops are also part of the regular calendar.
04_Tayitu Cultural Center
The Tayitu Cultural Center holds deep historical meaning on many fronts. It gets its name from Empress Taitu Betul. Revered for her leadership skills, Empress Taitu’s tactical decision-making is attributed to the defeat of the Italians during the Battle of Adwa in 1986. The Center was also once home to a mayor of Addis Abeba in the early 1900s and its founder is the celebrated Ethiopian actress and poet, Alemtsehay Wedajo. Today, it’s a hub for theatre, art exhibitions and literary gatherings.
05_AfroHeat Fitness
AfroHeat Fitness opened in 2016 with a vision to offer a safe space where women can work out and reclaim their right to a healthy life. Run by internationally certified trainer Hamrawit Gizaw, women here can choose between getting one-on-one personal training, joining a boot camp program or dance classes along with meal plans to support their fitness journey. The space is built to welcome and serve a community of African and Black people seeking a healthier lifestyle.
06_Soreti Spa
Founded by makeup artist Atklit Lemma in 2016, Soreti Spa is a three-story oasis in the middle of Addis Abeba. The main floor of Soreti Spa welcomes guests; one level down, you’ll find the hair and nail section; and below that, rooms for massages, facials, saunas and steams. Soreti is one of the well-known spas in the city, and its success is evident in the opening of its second branch in Nairobi, Kenya.
07_AWSAD [Association for Women’s Sanctuary and Development]
This women’s shelter has been one of the very few places where survivors of violence have found a refuge in the country. The shelter’s first home was opened over twenty years ago by Maria Yusuf. A lawyer by training, Maria decided to start the AWSAD women’s shelter after realising that the women she represented in court had nowhere else to go at the end of the day but back into the homes of their abusers. The shelter has several branches, including two temporary ones that were opened near the border of Ethiopia’s Tigray region, to support women fleeing violence during the two-year war.
08_iCog
Betelhem Dessie is the brains behind iCog, which offers a coding training program to students across Ethiopia. The projects she has led, like Anyone Can Code, and for(her), have opened doors for girls across the country interested in coding. Encouraging Ethiopian girls in public schools to pursue STEM subjects through projects at iCog Labs, Betelhem’s presence has shifted the needle in ensuring that this emerging sector doesn’t leave females behind.
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