Deaf African Woman Overcomes Rejection to Win UK Chevening Scholarship, Pursue Second Master’s Degree

A resilient African woman, Bethelhem Mihret, has risen above repeated rejection and discrimination to earn the prestigious UK Chevening Scholarship. She is set to begin her second Master’s degree in Social Justice in Education at Goldsmiths, University of London. 

Born deaf, Bethelhem’s dream of studying Health Sciences was first derailed when she was denied admission at the University of Gondar solely because of her disability. 

Even after reapplying and achieving high scores, she faced similar rejections elsewhere—not for lack of qualifications, but due to her hearing impairment. 

Eventually, she was admitted to Addis Ababa University, where she pursued Special Education and Teaching—the only program accessible through sign language interpretation. She graduated in 2023 with a remarkable 3.93 GPA and received three gold medals for her academic performance. 

Determined to turn adversity into advocacy, Bethelhem later completed a Master’s degree in Social Work in 2025 and joined UNICEF Ethiopia, working on inclusive education initiatives for children with disabilities in underserved communities. 

Her leadership and activism earned her recognition at the YALI Regional Leadership Center in Nairobi, where she was honored as Queen of KUCC by peers from 14 African nations. 

In her first-ever scholarship application, Bethelhem was awarded the Chevening Scholarship, a competitive UK program that selects leaders committed to creating positive change. 

She sees the opportunity as part of a greater purpose: “It took energy, sacrifice, prayers, and unwavering faith. I believe deeply that God’s timing is perfect and this opportunity is part of His plan for me.” 

At Goldsmiths, she plans to specialize in inclusive education policies and aims to reform systems that marginalize children with disabilities. “No child should ever be told what they can or cannot become because of disability,” she stated.