Adanech Berhe, 23, a graduate of Sheba College in Mekelle and a computer laboratory assistant in the college, has written a software program that can assist the blind and children in self-learning.  Furthermore, the software can facilitate maintenance of judicial court records.

In an interview, Adanech told VOA, “A number of elementary schools in Mekelle have computer access but no software program that can teach the Tigrigna and English languages. Accordingly, I exerted considerable resources to solve the problem by creating this software program.”

Adanech is now seeking patent rights for her software program.  However, she said local authorities said they cannot to give her intellectual property legal protection. She says the response from local authorities does not discourage her; she plans to travel to the capital, Addis Ababa, to try to patent her software program.