Hi, I am Cynthia Antypa and I am originally from Greece, but I grew up in Ethiopia. After completing the French Baccalaureate, I pursued my studies at the University of Warwick where I studied engineering business management. Afterwards, I obtained my master’s degree in International Management from ESADE Business School.
I applied for the EBoP Fellowship because…
While pursuing my master’s degree, I was introduced to the concept of inclusive businesses and the philanthropic way of doing business. That was when I decided to start my career in this field. My first experience was in India working in a sustainable tour operator start-up as a social business consultant. Subsequently, I worked at the United Nations Development Program in Istanbul, Turkey on how the private sector could be a more transformative partner in development. Because of these experiences, I saw the EBoP Fellowship as complementary to my aspirations, and a great learning journey.
During these six months, I am…
I am responsible for mapping the eye care system in various cities in Ethiopia (rural and urban) to optimize new and existing inclusive business models. In addition, I am working on building partnerships with different stakeholders such as hospital groups, NGOs, the Ministry of Health as well as religious groups to leverage their existing networks.
With this fellowship, I want to….
Essilor is the leading ophthalmic optics company in the world and is doing important work in improving lives by improving sight and in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals set by the UN. Therefore, in this fellowship, I hope to be a part of this essential work that Essilor is doing to eliminate poor vision while creating inclusive growth globally.
After the fellowship, I will be…
After the fellowship my ambition would be to continue my career in development and inclusive business.
So something interesting about me…
I have lived in six different countries – Ethiopia, Greece, UK, Spain, India, and Turkey. Each country was a unique experience, where I was exposed to a different lifestyle and which ultimately shaped who I am and how I perceive the world.
I speak five languages – English, Greek, French, Spanish and Amharic. My favorite is Amharic, because it surprises many people, and reminds me of my childhood years where I was interacting with my Ethiopian classmates.
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