When I reflect on the workplaces, institutions, and networks that shape opportunity in Ethiopia today, I see something hopeful—but also something missing. We are a country blessed with deep diversity: across languages, faiths, ethnicities, and experiences. And yet, this richness often stops at the doorsteps of power. It’s rarely reflected in boardrooms, senior government offices, or major national initiatives.
That quiet gap is what led me to launch the Sahan DEI Index.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) are not foreign ideas. They are, at their core, questions of fairness. They ask whether we are building institutions that open doors—or quietly keep them closed. They help us think not just about who is included, but how and why.
The Sahan DEI Index is a simple but powerful tool. It is designed to help institutions in Ethiopia—public and private—measure how well they reflect the country they serve. Who is being hired? Who is being heard? Who is absent? The answers may be uncomfortable, but they are necessary.
What prompted this initiative was not frustration, but clarity. I co-founded a firm with someone who does not share my religion or ethnicity, but with whom I share purpose. That experience taught me what’s possible when unity is built around goals, not just backgrounds. But it also made it clearer how rare that is.
In some of Ethiopia’s most important organizations, I have seen patterns repeat: brilliant young people passed over because of how they pray or where they come from; women excluded from leadership; communities left out of the story of progress. Not because anyone says they don’t belong—but because no one has thought seriously about why they should.
The DEI Index doesn’t point fingers. It offers a mirror. Institutions can use it to ask: Are we reflecting the country? Are we giving everyone a fair shot? If not, what might we do differently?
This is not just about statistics—it’s about dignity. It’s about making sure that no one has to choose between who they are and how far they can go.
I believe Ethiopia is ready for this conversation. Quietly, many have been waiting for it. With the Sahan DEI Index, I hope we can bring it forward—not with blame, but with care and purpose.
Because in the end, a more inclusive Ethiopia is a stronger Ethiopia.
