Postgraduate resident Bethelehem “Betty” Mamo brings a global perspective, a gift for languages and a commitment to refugee support to St Paul’s College: her story is about a childhood across borders, a path to Sydney and today, life at St Paul’s.
When Betty arrived in Sydney in July 2025 to begin a Master of Social Justice at the University of Sydney, she brought with her a story shaped by movement, resilience and a deep concern for people displaced by conflict. Betty is a member of St Paul’s College and lives in the postgraduate community. She is the recipient of a Sydney International Equity Scholarship at the University of Sydney, a postgraduate coursework scholarship supporting students from a range of backgrounds who face barriers to accessing higher education.
Betty was born in Khartoum, Sudan, and is an Ethiopian citizen through her parents. Her family’s history reflects the turbulent politics of the region. Her mother left Ethiopia as a teenager during the Derg regime and the period known as the Red Terror, while her father also moved to Sudan. Her parents met there in 1999, and Betty grew up in Khartoum, attending a Catholic school near the Nile River.
At the age of 11, Betty converted to Islam, a faith that has remained an integral part of her life. Her mother died while Betty was in Year 9, a loss that became part of the wider story of perseverance that carried her through school and into university. In 2015, her family moved to Ethiopia, where she continued her education at Nativity Girls School in Addis Ababa.
Betty first studied politics and international relations at Addis Ababa University before winning an international scholarship to study in Japan. She spent four years at the University of Tsukuba, which is 60km north of Tokyo, where she completed a Bachelor of International and Social Studies.
Her time in Japan broadened her outlook and deepened her appreciation of cultural difference. Betty is fluent in Arabic, Amharic, Japanese and English, and says she quickly noticed the contrasts between home, Japan and Australia. In Japan she encountered a culture she describes as highly dedicated and passionate; in Australia, she has come to value the calm, relaxed and multicultural character of daily life.
After returning to Ethiopia in 2024, Betty sought opportunities to work in the refugee sector, During this time, she undertook an internship with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Friends from her alumni network in Japan encouraged her to consider the University of Sydney. She applied successfully for the Sydney International Equity Scholarship and began her master’s degree in 2025.
At Sydney University, Betty’s Master of Social Justice allows her to focus on international issues and the human impact of conflict, displacement and inequality. She has found university life in Australia very different from her previous experiences, and has been struck by the passion and commitment of both her teachers and fellow students.
Betty says she has felt warmly welcomed at St Paul’s. As a Muslim student in the Graduate House community, she has found the College thoughtful and kind.
She has also enjoyed Sydney’s multicultural character, saying it gives her a sense of ease and belonging. Her favourite place in the city is the beach, where the openness of the landscape offers a welcome contrast to the intensity of study and city life.
Betty hopes to build a career in child protection and refugee support, with a particular aspiration to work in Ethiopia and, one day, with UNHCR. Her academic pathway and personal experience have given her a strong sense of purpose: to contribute to work that protects vulnerable people and expands access to dignity, safety and opportunity.
At St Paul’s, Betty’s presence adds to the richness of the Graduate House community. Her story connects Sudan, Ethiopia, Japan and Australia, and reflects the kind of global learning, service and hope that the College seeks to encourage.
