Getesmani fled Ethiopia with a Bachelor’s degree in Architectural Design and Urban Planning in her pocket. In her homeland, the young architect had already started a brilliant career: she worked as an architect for two and a half years, taught at the university for four years and at the same time started her own architectural firm. You would think that in the Netherlands she would be able to start work immediately, but nothing could be further from the truth. With her mentor Anita, she investigated whether she also has opportunities in architecture in the Netherlands. Anita, who is a great sparring partner for Getesmani, ensures that Getesmani remains hopeful: “It is easy to lose hope, but Anita told me over and over again ‘you are worth it’. Without her, I wouldn’t be here”.
This duo’s perseverance paid off: Getesmani got to work at the successful architectural collective INBO as a co-trainee! A great starting point for Getesmani to continue her career in architecture: “My goal is to have my portfolio completed by the end of the internship. I love going back to work every day, even if the weather is bad!”