“You need to believe in what you are doing and always search for things that would inspire you even more”

Barno Mukhamadieva, Chief of Education, UNICEF Angola

Tell us a bit about your background. I was born in Tajikistan, a small, beautiful mountainous country in Central Asia. I grew up in an industrial town - Tursunzade, which at the time had around 63 nationalities. I studied International Relations and International Studies in universities in Tajikistan and the United Kingdom.

What do you do? I am an education specialist, worked on issues related to girls’ education, education in emergencies and access to education for out-of-school children. Recently I joined UNICEF Angola, and lead the education programme here.