Zach-folio

Long before becoming the person I am today, I was already fascinated by the power of words. During my childhood and teenage years, writing became one of the ways I explored my imagination, understood the world around me, and expressed ideas that were difficult to say otherwise.

I wrote poems, short stories, and creative pieces, often experimenting with rhythm, emotions, and the subtle power of language. I was fascinated by how a small change in the way something was expressed could completely transform how it was understood and received.

Over time, I started noticing something deeper: the way we communicate shapes how people understand, respond, and act. I realized that saying the same thing in a different way could create a completely different reaction. That curiosity about communication became a foundation that continued to influence my work.

My journey through university was not a straight path. At Addis Ababa University, I explored different fields while searching for where my abilities and interests aligned. I initially studied nursing, then moved toward engineering, but neither felt like the place where I could fully express my strengths. Eventually, I found myself studying journalism — a field that connected naturally with my passion for writing, storytelling, research, and understanding people.

Journalism gave me more than a profession. It taught me how to ask better questions, investigate information, communicate clearly, and turn complex ideas into stories that people can understand. However, I still had another curiosity growing alongside it: technology.

I never imagined programming as my childhood dream. But when I discovered software development, I found another medium for creativity. Instead of only using words to communicate ideas, I could now use technology to build solutions, create experiences, and bring concepts to life.

A major turning point in this journey was meeting Sitota (Siyat). He was someone who saw potential in me before I fully recognized it myself. Beyond being a friend, he encouraged me to explore programming, challenged me to think differently, and helped me discover a path where my interests could come together.

People have asked me before, "You are a programmer despite studying journalism?"

But I no longer see these fields as separate.

Writing taught me how to communicate. Journalism taught me how to research and understand the world. Programming taught me how to build solutions. Research taught me how to make informed decisions. AI opened new possibilities for combining creativity and technology.

Today, I see myself as someone who works at the intersection of technology, communication, research, and artificial intelligence. Whether I am building software, writing content, analyzing markets, creating educational resources, or telling stories, the goal remains the same: understanding problems, expressing ideas clearly, and creating meaningful solutions.

I did not choose one path and leave the others behind. Every experience became a piece of the person I am becoming.