A Different Melody: How Misale Is Rewriting Her Story and Others’ Through Music

Addis Ababa – In the lively neighborhood of Lafto in Addis Ababa, there is a small office that feels different from the rest of the city. The moment you step inside, the noise fades away. The walls are painted with piano key motifs. The palette of white, navy blue and soft pink, create a calm, welcoming, and safe space. 

This is Misale Returnees and Potential Migrants Art Organization, a survivor-led initiative. 

“Misale means being an example, a model, showing that what seems impossible can become possible when you follow the right pattern,” says Hiwot Dagim, its Founder and General Manager. 

Through music, art, and creative expression, Misale supports people affected by irregular migration, especially women who have returned from risky journeys, survivors of trafficking and potential migrants. 

Her own experience inspired Hiwot to launch this organization. 

Two decades ago, Hiwot left Addis Ababa for Beirut, Lebanon. Like many young women, she was looking for economic opportunities to support her family. An employment agency offered her a job as a domestic worker in a Lebanese household. 

But once she arrived, reality felt very different. Hiwot is energetic; she loves football and enjoys vibrant activities. She realized that domestic work was not her path, nor her skill and felt unfulfilled and out of place. She made a bold decision, decided to leave the system and started her own small business, selling Ethiopian products to her community in Beirut. She also gave up her regular status as the visa she had only allowed her to carry domestic work. For nine years, she worked hard but could not save a lot of money. 

Eventually, she returned home to Ethiopia in 2016, ready to start afresh and investing her limited savings in new businesses. Unfortunately, none of them succeeded. The disappointment was heavy and led Hiwot into deep depression. She sought professional help and received psychological support and medical treatment. But she was not getting any better. 

Then one day, her therapist made an unexpected suggestion: “Why don’t you try music?” 

That is when Hiwot started writing her own story. Something changed the moment she touched the piano for the first time in her life. 

“The moment I touched the keys; I felt a weight lift off my shoulders. I started feeling safe and better,” she says.

After three months of music classes, her mood improved significantly. But she could no longer afford the lessons. Seeing the transformation in her, her aunt gifted her a piano, and that gift changed everything. 

Hiwot continued learning on her own, practicing every day. Music became her therapy, her refuge, and her strength. 

As her passion grew, so did her desire to share it. She opened a small music school with just one piano and one guitar during the COVID-19 outbreak. At first only two students joined, but she dedicated herself completely to them, teaching not only music but also freedom, expression, and healing through music and art. 

After the pandemic, more students enrolled. Her school grew to 90 students, she bought more instruments and hired support staff. 

One day, Hiwot heard about women returnees and survivors of trafficking staying in shelters supported by the Agar Ethiopia Charitable Society, a national non-governmental organization (NGO). Learning about the women’s stories, Hiwot felt deeply connected. 

She approached Agar and offered to provide music sessions for the women. Agar agreed and supported the transportation costs for the interventions. 

“Music worked for me,” she says. “So, I thought it could help them too.” 

Many of the women were struggling with severe trauma. Some were taking medication that made them physically weak. But something magical happened during the sessions. 

“The stress they carry is heavier than what I experienced,” Hiwot explains. “But when they play, you can see the change. Playing these instruments helps them heal emotionally and physically.” 

At some point, the Freedom Fund, a global fund with the aim of helping end modern slavery, released a USD 20,000 call for proposal, inviting organizations to submit their ideas to support victims of trafficking and raise awareness of the risks of irregular migration. But Hiwot hesitated to apply as the project duration and budget felt short. 

But then she reflected and asked them, “Why are you willing to give me this money?”. 

“This problem can only be solved by returnees themselves,” they told her. 

That sentence stayed with her. She realized she was not just any returnee, she was part of the solution. She accepted the support and officially launched Misale with this funding. 

Today, Misale has nine staff members and many volunteers – 31 people in total are running this organization. Among them are returnees, survivors of trafficking, and potential migrants. The organization provides over 120 therapy sessions per year and has already surpassed its annual target (Ethiopian calendar year) of reaching 5,000 people with awareness activities within just six months.  

“What brings me the most satisfaction is seeing the impact of this help on people,” Hiwot explains. “One current client, a mother who had completely lost hope, is slowly rebuilding her life. When she first arrived, she could barely communicate. Today, she is engaging, playing music, and reconnecting with herself,” she shares.  

Families bring gifts to thank the team. Many women say music changed their lives. 

“This shows that music is the greatest therapy,” Hiwot says. 

Through its survivor engagement efforts, Hiwot connected with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and joined the steering committee of a project aiming at improving the protection of victims and survivors of trafficking in Ethiopia. This role allowed her to play an active part in counter-trafficking initiatives, including the launch and promotion of the National Anti-Trafficking Hotline (8797) and the Addis Ababa Victim Hotline (6073), toll-free numbers offering support, information, and resources to individuals affected by trafficking and migrant smuggling. IOM also provided Misale with media training on trafficking in persons, strengthening her ability to advocate and raise awareness.   

Misale also actively participates in the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons and International Migrants Day celebrations and was recently nominated as a Champion of Migration.  

Beyond that, she voluntarily continues supporting women, youth groups, and vulnerable communities in Addis Ababa. A lot can be done, but funding remains limited. But Hiwot remains hopeful that support will continue to grow.  

Today, Hiwot does not speak loudly about her achievements. She simply continues working.  

“Many of my family members and friends do not even know about Misale. They see me on TV and are surprised, then reach out to provide financial or human resources support,” she says. “I do not brag about the work we are doing. What is important is not my visibility but the impact of our work,” she adds. 

As for music therapy, Hiwot smiles when trying to explain it: “It’s difficult to describe in words. There is life inside music. And as long as you are willing to experience it, it can change you and your life.” 

In the busy city of Lafto, that quiet office continues to fill with sound, not just of piano keys, but of stories being told, new beginnings being written, and vulnerable migrants beginning their journeys toward a brighter future.