We believe her voice first broke through radio airwaves in the late 1940s. She was Ethiopia's first female journalist and radio personality. Those of you who are old enough may remember hearing her broadcasts in the 1960s and early 1970s. Her name was Romanworq Kassahun.

Here, we present extracts from her book entitled Ye Hiywot Gwadegna*. The two featured chapters (pp. 69-72) entitled Ye Lijageredoch Idel and Ye Nuro Gwadegna MemreT (Bal) offer young women advice in the selection of a mate. We'll let you decide if we've come a long way.

* Romanworq Kassahun, Ye Hiywot Gwadegna, Addis Abeba: Commercial Printing Press, 1948, E.C., 146 p.